Trials and Tribulations of Sex Ed
by dichana
Summary: It's funny how these things happen. Just a couple minutes ago I was changing Yumi's diaper while struggling to breathe, and now I was cracking up with my best friend lying between my knees. taishiro PLEASE R&R!
1. The project

It was another school day at Odaiba High School. The air was slightly chilly as the day neared the afternoon. Fluffy clouds patched the blue sky as streams of sunlight made contact with trees, flowers, and the nearby bay. It was indeed a gorgeous day to say nonetheless.

But alas, everybody was inside the massive school building, staring outside the window, wishing to be out there instead of listening to the monotonous voice of the teacher.

Inside the Health classroom, however, there were no windows, so they were spared the torture of having a single glass pane separating them from freedom. Instead the students were looking horrified at the teacher standing at the front of the room, explaining their project for the next two weeks.

"BABIES?" shrieked Taichi, standing up suddenly, almost toppling his chair over. He looked over at his friend Koushiro, who looked frozen in his seat.

"Sit down, Mr. Yagami," frowned the teacher, Mrs. Nakamura. "And yes, for the next two weeks, you and a partner will be taking care of one of these babies." She indicated to the fifteen baskets sitting on the tables behind her.

As if on cue, a high shriek was emitted from one of the still baskets. "And," Ms. Nakamura smiled. "These are real babies!"

Thirty pairs of eyes widened, staring at her. However, she received different reactions. The girls were giggling, overjoyed at the chance of actually being able to take care of the little angels. The boys, on the other hand, were not so thrilled. They had all paled at the thought. Taichi's knees had buckled at the sound of the high cry. He was now on the cold linoleum floor, unable to get up, not wanting to either.

"Umm, Ms. Nakamura?" Jyou squeaked, once the happy squeals of the girls had died down.

"Yes, Mr. Kido?" replied the teacher brightly. She had calmed the baby, so the room was once again quiet.

"How do you think we're ready to take care of real babies?" he asked quietly, fiddling with his glasses.

"Well, after studying the care of infants for the past month, I think you all are ready for an actual experience," she said. "Don't you think?"

Jyou was not convinced. He laid his head on the desk, letting out a broken sigh. He really did not want to be in this class at this moment, not that he ever did want to.

Taichi, Yamato, Jyou and Koushiro had tried to avoid this class, called Health Ed., dubbed Sex Ed. by every student in school. Just this year teachers had decided that students should take one semester of the class in order to graduate. Jyou had nearly escaped this new rule; it was his last year of high school. The others didn't have a chance, though. Sure, Koushiro had skipped the tenth grade and now joined Taichi and Yamato in the eleventh grade, but that still meant that he had to take the God-forsaken class.

Neither liked the subject at all. All forty-five minutes of the class each day would make the boys shift uncomfortably in their chairs. Koushiro would hold a red blush across his cheeks, and Taichi and Yamato would shiver involuntary. Poor Jyou still couldn't bear to look at any of the posters plastered all around the room on safe intercourse and the importance of wearing a condom. And he wanted to become a doctor.

Yamato, whose eye was twitching rather violently, looked over at Sora and Mimi, who were talking happily to a group of friends about the next two weeks. He gulped.

Koushiro blushed furiously. He was going to be paired up with someone. But who? He had to take care of a baby with this person for the next two weeks!

"Okay class!" chimed Ms. Nakamura. "I will now be announcing the pairs. When called, each pair will come up here and take their baby back to their desks."

She looked over at Taichi, who was still lying on the floor, shocked, eyes still wide. "Mr. Yagami," she sighed. "Please get up from the floor."


	2. The partners?

"WHAT?" Taichi lashed out, this time successfully knocking over his chair. A red tint was plastered all around his face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Yagami," Ms. Nakamura replied calmly. "But there are fourteen girls and sixteen boys in this class. There is going to have to be a pair of boys taking care of a baby, so you and Mr. Izumi are going to be paired up."

The redness across Taichi's cheeks glowed even deeper, and his right eyebrow arched upward. His fingers gripped the desk.

"Mr. Yagami," laughed the teacher. "These pairs don't mean anything. They weren't based off my opinion. They were chosen at random."

Taichi had calmed at this, and he looked back at Koushiro, who had his eyes widened, mouth slightly gaped. Taichi shifted his head towards the front of the room, signaling to come with him to collect their child. Koushiro lifted himself from his seat directly behind his friend's and walked to the last basket sitting on the table.

He peered over the rim of the basket, followed by Taichi, at the tiny baby sleeping inside. He couldn't help but smile.

"This one is named Yumi. It's a girl," Ms. Nakamura beamed. She handed Taichi a packet and handed the basket to Koushiro by the long straps.

"Now, for the next two weeks," began the teacher to the class. "You will be sitting next to your partner, so there will be a change in desk arrangements."

At that moment everyone gathered their things and moved their desks around. "See ya, man," Yamato said to Taichi, moving his desk towards Sora's.

Koushiro placed his desk beside his partner's and sat down quietly, his hand gripping tightly to the basket.

"The packets that I gave to each pair," continued Ms. Nakamura, "Are papers I want each team to fill out daily. I want to tell me what you fed your baby, at what time, their napping hours, how you spend time with your baby, things like that. It will be like your log."

Taichi flipped through the packet. He face faulted at each page, especially at the cover, where it asked to state the child's name and parents. _Parents?_ thought Taichi, his face growing warm, looking sideways towards Koushiro, who was mesmerized by the sleeping child. _I guess it can't be that bad_, his mind said. _At least I didn't end up with some random girl I don't even know. Koushiro's my friend. Maybe it'll make this more bearable._

"The packets are to be completed and turned in at the end of the two weeks," said Ms. Nakamura. "I've told all teachers about the project, so they will be expecting the babies in class."

At that moment little Yumi's eyes fluttered open and began shaking. Koushiro couldn't figure out her expression, but immediately paled and froze when the baby opened her mouth to let out an ear-piercing cry.

"Or not," Taichi sighed quietly to himself.


	3. Lunch time

"You know guys," Yamato said before digging his rice bowl. "I heard that in America, they do this same project, only they use plastic babies with a built-in crier and something that makes them go to the bathroom. We should've gotten those dolls."

"It's not that bad," Sora defended. She was feeding their baby, an adorable boy named Kenji, from a milk-filled bottle. "It isn't, huh, Kenji?"

Yamato rolled his eyes and continued with his rice bowl. It was their lunch hour, and the group was sitting on the benches outside to take in some sun.

"Yeah, the people in America are really missing out," Mimi replied. "Aren't they Sakura?" She cooed and cuddled the giggling baby. Mimi had returned from America to finish her last two years of high school with her friends. Being the girly girl that she is, she kept her hair dyed pink . "Jyou, you should hold her for a little bit. I'm going to put some formula in her bottle." She carefully placed the baby into the nervous teenager's arms and set to work preparing Sakura's lunch.

The baby looked confusedly at Jyou through her light eyes and reached up to pull at his hair. His glasses fell on her hands, and Sakura giggled as she began to play with her prize. Her "father" looked flustered. His friends laughed.

"I think you'll have to get new glasses, Jyou," Koushiro commented laughing. Yumi was sitting comfortably in his lap. "Taichi, will you set up Yumi's formula?"

Taichi obeyed and grabbed a bottle from the bag that Ms. Nakamura had given each of the pairs before the end of class. He followed the instructions on the formula packet and shook the mixture in the bottle. He handed the bottle to Koushiro, who, with an almost second nature, began feeding Yumi.

"Koushiro," began Yamato, setting down his bowl. "You're really good at this baby stuff." He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Kou," agreed Taichi. "Where'd you learn? Do you baby-sit or something?" He didn't think one of his best friends would be so skilled in the art of childcare, especially one who would usually be found with his head buried into a computer screen.

"Huh?" the redhead looked up at his friends. They were still looking at him with wondering expressions. Taichi's brow had arched. "Oh, I've always wondered what it would be like taking care of a younger sibling. I've never had one."

He looked around only to see that the same curious expression was still plastered on their faces.

"I think we should all know by now if we've read that book so much over the last month in class," laughed Koushiro nervously, placing one hand behind his head. "Right?"

"You actually read the book, man?" Taichi asked incredulously.

"Of course! It was assigned, wasn't it? Didn't you read it?"

Taichi looked down, blushing, and Yamato was whistling nervously. Of course they hadn't.

_This is Koushiro we're talking about, though_, thought Taichi. _He reads everything._

"Hey guys," peeped Sora. "I just noticed something about the babies." All eyes turned on her at that moment, then at the three babies.

"What?" Yamato asked, obviously confused. His eyes looked blank when looking over baby Kenji in his partner's arms.

"Don't you see it?" she said. "Look at Kenji. He has my eyes and your skin tone and hair color. Sakura has Jyou's blue hair and Mimi's tan skin and brown eyes. And Yumi…" She stopped and blushed.

Taichi saw the similarities between the babies and each of their respective "parents". Kenji looked like a child of Yamato and Sora. Sakura was the spitting image of Jyou and Mimi's child, if they had children. He turned to Yumi in Koushiro's arms and blushed brightly. Yumi had auburn-brown hair, chocolate brown eyes like his own, and creamy light skin like that of Koushiro. His mouth dropped. What the hell was the teacher thinking!

"You don't think Ms. Nakamura did this on purpose, do you?" Koushiro sputtered. He had paled considerably, and his black eyes widened.

"Of course not," Jyou said, staring Sakura down, carefully trying to pry his glasses from her fingers. "Ms. Nakamura wouldn't do that." The look on his face suggested otherwise.

"Yeah," Sora faced him. "It's probably just a coincidence."

Taichi nodded, and the thought left his mind. His face returned to its normal caramel brown. It was then that another thought hit him.

"Oh no!" he shouted. "What about SOCCER?" He jumped up from the bench and raced towards the playing field, leaving his friends to roll their eyes at their soccer-obsessed leader.


	4. Soccer go byebye

Taichi sprinted to the soccer field, hoping to find his coach. Sure enough, he was there, shouting out drills at a group of middle school students, who looked like they were about to collapse in mere seconds from exhaustion.

"Coach!" he yelled, running towards the burly trainer.

"I know all about your project, Yagami," the Coach grunted. "You'll be excused from all practices and games for the next two weeks." He didn't even look up from his clipboard.

Taichi froze in place. "But…I…play…," he tried to begin, hoping that what he just heard was just a joke to freak him out, because it really did.

He wasn't about to have his favorite game taken away from him.

"I'm not hearing it, Yagami. I think a baby is a much higher responsibility, don't you think?"

"Yes, sir," mumbled the defeated soccer player. On second thought, maybe he will. _Maybe it won't be all that bad_, he thought, trying to make himself feel better. _I get to hang out with one of my best friends for two weeks! Right?_

"So," the Coach looked up, grinning. "Who's the lucky partner? Is it one of the cheerleaders? Hmm?"

Taichi shifted nervously from one foot to the other, facing the ground, and mumbled something inaudible.

"Speak up, boy! I couldn't hear a word you just said!"

"Izumi Koushiro, sir," Taichi responded clearly. A warmth crept on his face. He began kicking at the ground.

"Izumi, huh?"

"The pairs were chosen at random, sir," continued Taichi before his Coach got any ideas. He looked up to see that he still wasn't convinced. "There are fourteen girls and sixteen boys in the class."

"I see," the Coach replied, a hint of laughter in his voice. "Well, Yagami, you should get back to your…significant other…" He was laughing full force now. The middle school students had now taken a brief break from their drills to listen in on the scene between player and coach. Apparently they had caught on to the conversation, because whispered giggles were going around among them.

Taichi blushed and scowled. "It's not funny!" he pouted, leaving the field back towards the lunch benches, not bothering to look back at the howling coach and the chattering students.


	5. The temporary Computer Club president

Koushiro walked through the halls of the school building, towards the computer lab. He had almost forgotten that he was going to have to be gone from the Computer Club for the next two weeks. As president he had to appoint someone to take his place for the time being, and he had just the person in mind. He just hoped Miyako was still in the building.

He opened the door to the lab to find just that person on one of the computers. She turned to him and smiled in greeting.

"Hey Koushiro!" she waved, stopping in mid-motion to look down at what the Computer Club president happened to be holding. "And who's that little cutie?" She immediately directed her attention to little Yumi sleeping peacefully in her basket. Getting up from her computer, Miyako made her way to the baby, cooing at her softly.

"That," Koushiro began, "is what I have to talk to you about."

"Don't worry about it!" said the purple-haired girl. "I heard about the Sex Ed. project, and I'll be able to take over while you're gone. I'll let the others know as soon as possible."

"Thanks Miyako!" He sighed in relief. "I owe you a big one." A weight seemed to be lifted from his shoulders. Now he could focus all his attentions on Yumi.

"No problem," smiled the young girl. She couldn't take her eyes off the baby girl. "So, who's your partner?" Miyako lifted her head to face the Computer Club president and saw that a pinkness had sprawled across his face.

"What?" the younger digidestined looked confused. "Do you like her or something? Is she ugly? Are you a single par…?"

"Taichi." His voice had a hushed tone about it.

"Huh?" Did she hear right?

"Taichi," he repeated the name, a bit louder this time, so he would not have to say it once more. "He's my partner."

"Really," said the young girl smugly. She paused, a small smirk crossing her lips, as she crossed her arms. "Have you put the moves on him yet?"

"MIYAKO!" shouted the flustered redhead, yanking the basket violently upward to wave his arms in surprise at her comment. "Of course not! There were simply more boys in the class and Ms. Nakamura chose the partners at random!" He crossed his arms, setting down the basket. "Besides. I'm glad I ended up with him. He's a friend, so it won't be that awkward," he mumbled. "I'm sure this assignment will proceed smoothly without any complications."

At that moment, Yumi began to whimper and cry. She flailed her little arms around, her sounds making the temporary Computer Club president plug her ears.

"Now look what you did!" Miyako scolded at the older boy, who had suddenly paled. "Well? Don't just stand there! Comfort her!"

Koushiro bent down and picked up the little girl from her basket. He cradled her in his arms and cooed her until she had calmed down. Yumi slowly calmed down her breathing to slow trembling sighs, looked at him serenely with slightly tear-stained cheeks and snuggled into his chest. He smiled faintly at the baby.

"You know Koushiro," Miyako said quietly, not wanting to break Yumi's peace. Her eyebrows were raised, looking aptly at the baby girl. "She kind of looks like…"

"I know," the computer genius cut in. "Sora pointed that out too." Picking up the basket, he headed for the door. "I'll see you later Miyako. Thanks again." He disappeared behind the door, Yumi still in his arms, and headed for his next class.


	6. PreCalculus

The rest of the school day went on without much activity, except that the boys were given responsibility of the babies the second half of the day. Jyou, being the only senior in Sex Ed., had to endure dragging his baby to all his classes alone. Sakura, it seemed, enjoyed to torment her "father", because according to Jyou, she cried in every class and even soiled herself in the middle of performing a lab in biology. He had to excuse himself from class to change her diaper. She happened to be giggling at him the entire way to the restroom.

Taichi, Yamato and Koushiro faced laughter from their male classmates and coos and baby talk towards Kenji and Yumi from their female classmates. The three were the only junior boys to be taking part in the project. The other eleventh-grade boys were smart enough to take it as soon as possible, the class being "strongly recommended", which meant "take it as soon as possible and get it over with" in school terms. Good thing for them, too, because the three digidestined learned that this was the first year that Ms. Nakamura decided to try this project. Lucky them.

"No wonder we didn't see any babies around the school last year," Taichi had told Koushiro.

Kenji and Yumi were sleeping soundly in their baskets all throughout their classes until Pre-Calculus, their last class of the day. In the middle of the teacher's lecture Kenji woke up with a cough and began to wail his lungs out. Yamato cringed and paled and looked down at the basket placed beside the foot of his desk. He dropped his pencil, interrupted from the doodle he was working on in his notebook instead of taking notes.

"Mr. Ishida?" the teacher looked sternly at the blonde.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fushima," croaked Yamato, wishing Sora was there at that second. "I think he's hungry…"

"Well, take care of it!" Mr. Fushima barked. Yamato gathered the baby in his arms, grabbed the bag of baby supplies, slung the strap over his shoulder and ran out the door. The baby's wailing sounded more distant with each second.

Just as Mr. Fushima was about to continue with the lesson, a light sniffling was heard in the still quiet of the classroom. Taichi, hoping that it wasn't what he thought it was, looked down beside his desk at the basket. Yumi's brown eyes were creaking open. She sniffled again, then whimpered. A crease formed between her eyebrows as her face began to scrunch up in complete discomfort. The brunette looked at Koushiro beside him, who gave him an expression that clearly translated into "your turn". The whimpers turned into cries that echoed all around. He flinched.

He yanked the baby bag from under his desk, clutched the lengthy straps of the basket and exited the classroom to join Yamato in the boys' restroom. Sure enough, the ear-shattering cries were heard all throughout the deserted hall as Taichi pushed the door open, revealing the frantic blonde trying to prepare a bottle of formula with Kenji still in his arms. The baby was growing hysterical, beginning to wave his fists around, some making contact with Yamato's sweat-dampened face, which he clearly did not appreciate.

"Dude," said Taichi. "That's what the basket's for."

"Shut up and help me NOW!" glared Yamato. Taichi rolled his eyes and set down Yumi's basket, the little girl crying louder at seeing that she had been left alone. He took the bottle from the blonde's hand and quickly mixed together the formula, as his friend tried his best to calm the baby boy, both hands now free.

"You know, man," the blond digidestined said. "I thought I'd get the hang of this from watching my mom handle Takeru. I've been proven wrong. This is hard!" He frowned as another of Kenji's crazed fists grazed him on the chin.

"You're telling me," Taichi replied, sounding exasperated, handing the filled bottle to his friend. "I wish I was like Koushiro. This seems to be pretty easy for him."

"No kidding," Yamato accepted the formula. "Hey, thanks, dude. Now you have to get back to yours." He pointed to little Yumi still crying in her basket. Kenji was soon quieted and drinking out of his bottle soundly in his "father's" arms. Yamato gathered his baby bag and returned to class, the little boy still drinking, where he was met by gleeful swoons from the female population. The blonde sat down in his desk in front of Koushiro.

"How was he doing?" the redhead whispered to his friend.

"I think he'll be back soon," replied Yamato. "He had her bottle ready by the time I left."

More than five minutes passed and Koushiro could already sense that something was wrong.

How long could it possibly take someone to feed a baby? Obviously, for Taichi, a very long time.

He excused himself from class and rushed to the restroom, where he was met with the sight of his frantic partner battling with Yumi in his arms to get the bottle into her mouth. She was still shrieking.

"Taichi?" he yelled over the screeches. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" the brown-haired boy yelled back. "She's crying, but she won't drink!"

"Haven't you tried something else?" He hastily took Yumi from his partner and placed the little girl's chest on the crook of his shoulder.

"What else can I possibly try?" countered Taichi, crossing his arms, his face red with exhaustion.

Koushiro gently patted the baby's back, and a small burp was heard. Yumi stopped crying as the redhead cradled her softly. He snatched the formula from the brunette, and she began drinking soundly.

"Oh," was all that came from Taichi's mouth as he walked over to his partner and their baby.

"Honestly Taichi," Koushiro scolded. "You need to read the book sometime."

"Well, I think she just likes you better," smirked his friend. The younger boy blushed. "Come on, we should get back to class. Fushima's probably ready to give us detentions right about now."

Taichi slung the baby bag over his shoulder, grabbed the basket, and walked with Koushiro back to the classroom. Some students peeked outside classrooms to see what had caused the uproar in the hallway just minutes before.

Upon entering the room, one boy yelled, "Dude, Taichi! You were paired up with Izumi?"

The brunette groaned and was about to open his mouth to explain, but Yamato interrupted him.

"Our partners were chosen randomly and there were more boys than girls."

The classmate did not respond, as did the rest of the class. The three digidestined sighed in exasperation, Kenji and Yumi not making a sound. The last class of the day continued without any other incident. The babies were soon fast asleep in their baskets, their "parents" slumping into their desks, praying the final bell would soon ring.

And to think, their first day with this project is not even through yet.

The three boys had the same thought in their heads - "Dammit."


	7. End of Day 1

After the final bell rang the students piled out of the front double doors to the freedom that was outside. The three boys joined with Jyou outside their pre-calculus classroom, the senior looking about ready to pass out. Blue-haired Sakura was giggling mirthfully inside her basket.

"Guys," he said curtly. "I suggest reading the book before trying to change your baby's diaper." A trace of a glare escaped his eyes towards the little girl.

At hearing this, Taichi and Yamato paled. Koushiro, on the other hand, smiled knowingly.

"Have either of you seen Mimi?" asked Jyou, looking around the halls.

"Why?" replied a high voice. Mimi, followed by Sora, was walking towards them from the opposite direction. "Do you need me? How's my little Sakura?" She totally ignored Jyou and went ahead with cuddling her baby.

"Okay, Sora," said Yamato. "You get to keep Kenji for the night." He held out the basket and baby bag to the red-haired girl. Jyou followed his friend's actions towards Mimi.

The girls did not take the baskets, instead putting their hands on their hips.

"Oh no, boys," Sora replied, smirking. "We called our parents and made special arrangements." At this both boys raised an eyebrow. "They gave us permission to sleep over at your places every other day. You guys sleep at our apartments on the rest of the days."

At this the boys' eyes widened to three times their size.

"Yeah," Mimi said, the same menacing expression taking over her features. "We don't want to be doing all the work, and we'll make sure you guys do your fair share." She crossed her arms. "I hope you find the couches comfortable."

The blonde and bluenette paled and were speechless.

"Koushiro," Sora faced the redhead. "I think you should set up the same plan with Taichi. With you being much more reliable with Yumi, he'll probably get lazy." Taichi stuck out his tongue at the tennis star.

Koushiro laughed and agreed to it. He left with Taichi towards the school parking lot, leaving Yamato and Jyou to be dragged away by Sora and Mimi. They made their way through the maze of cars to Taichi's old red Toyota. The computer genius always hitched a ride with his older friend to and from school. He lived only about two blocks away from him, so he never hesitated to drive all the way to Koushiro's apartment building to drop him off.

"Maybe we should get a car seat for Yumi," the younger partner suggested. He carefully set the basket in his lap in the passenger's seat at the front.

"I think my mom might have one," Taichi piped. "She might have still kept it after Hikari outgrew it." He received a nod of approval from his friend.

"So where do you think we should stay tonight?" asked Koushiro after finally getting on the road.

"You're actually going along with Sora's idea?" Taichi's eyebrow rose.

"Well sure," the young genius shrugged. "It seems like a logical proposal, don't you think? It's probably better that we stay at your house tonight, since your mom probably has more of the proper equipment for handling young children." He looked over at Taichi, who nodded his head in agreement. Yumi was watching him, smiling, her chocolate-brown eyes shining happily. They headed to Koushiro's apartment building, so that the redhead would pick up sleeping clothes, an extra outfit for the next day and a toothbrush.

While Koushiro was gone, Taichi peered over at Yumi, who was looking around mystified at the interior of the sixteen-year-old's car.

"What do you think Yumi?" he asked the baby in an animated voice. "It's not much, but it gets me places." The baby girl looked at him, eyes widened and confused. She looked up slightly and reached her hand upward as if trying to grasp something.

"What?" asked Taichi. "Do you want me to make funny faces or something?" He took the little girl's pleading expression as a 'yes'. "Okay then." He proceeded to contort his face into a number of odd faces, some requiring the crossing of his eyes or the jutting out of his lip. Each one received the same response; Yumi reaching upward, trying to catch hold of a seemingly invisible object on the inside hood of his car.

He was trying to imitate the expression of a bunny by wiggling his nose and making whiskers out of his fingers, not even noticing Koushiro opening the door to the passenger's side of the Toyota. The redhead's giggle took him out of his sheer concentration.

The brunette put down his hands and looked up at his friend, who was how wearing khaki shorts and a T-shirt and sandals in place of the green and gray that was required of him at school. A backpack carrying his sleepover gear was on his shoulder. His trusty Pineapple laptop was under his arm. An air of relaxation surrounded him.

"Should I even ask what's going on?" giggled the younger digidestined.

"She wants something," Taichi tried to explain, fristrated that he couldn't figure out what on earth she could be asking for. "But I have no idea what. I tried giving her every expression I know, but she still reaches up for something." Yumi was still trying to grasp the invisible object above her and began to whimper for not being able to reach it.

Koushiro looked at his friend, then down at Yumi, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. He picked up the little girl and raised her towards Taichi's head. She laughed as she grasped a lock of his unruly brown hair. The brunette blushed and laughed with the baby. "Is that what you wanted?" he cooed, tickling Yumi's stomach. She laughed even harder.

"See?" smiled Koushiro. "She likes you, too." He placed his things in the back of the car and settled in the passenger's seat.

In a matter of minutes they were at Taichi's apartment complex. Koushiro unloaded his backpack and laptop, while his friend took Yumi's basket and baby bag. They climbed the stairs toward the apartment, and Taichi opened the unlocked door.

"Hikari's home already," the brunette partner said.

"Taichi?" yelled Hikari's voice from the living room. She appeared from behind the couch and instantly squealed with glee. "Ooh! Whose baby?" She crouched down to cuddle the beaming Yumi.

"Ours," replied her brother. She raised her head and questions swirled in her eyes.

"Sex Ed. project," he shrugged. Hikari nodded, confusion wiped from her face. She took the basket from her older brother's hand and brought Yumi with her to the living room. Koushiro set his things in Taichi's bedroom. Having been to his older friend's apartment countless times, he knew his way around the place like a second home. He slipped his sandals off and placed them with Taichi and Hikari's shoes at the front door. Making his way to the living room, he found his friend's younger sister playing with Yumi, who was thoroughly enjoying herself. The brunette was in his room changing out of his school attire.

Taichi soon reappeared in a pair of loose-fitting jeans and a soccer jersey, along with two sodas in his hands. He tossed one to Koushiro.

"Hey Kou," he began after drinking a large gulp of his soft drink. "How do you think Yamato and Jyou are doing at Sora and Mimi's places right now? I wouldn't be surprised if they were praying for dear life in a corner somewhere!" He laughed, imagining Yamato crawled up into a fetal position after attempting to change Kenji's diaper, then having to endure Sora's screaming.

Sora is usually pretty even-tempered, preferring to stay out of arguments, unless someone provoked her. The key word here is "provoke". You just don't provoke Sora. Let's just say it's frightening when she is.

"I have to say I feel more sorry for Jyou," Koushiro laughed. "I can only imagine what Mimi's room might actually look like if her color obsession is pink." The redhead giggled at the thought of Jyou almost having a heart attack at the sight of Mimi's predictably pink room, posters of American celebrities staring at him as he entered the pink war zone.

"Ms. Nakamura paired up Yamato and Jyou with Sora and Mimi?" Hikari interrupted, her fingers still cuddling Yumi's stomach. "Wow, she did a really good job with the pairs!" She stared off dreamily, but the blushing glare on her brother's face cut into her thoughts. "Except for you guys, of course."

Hikari laughed nervously. "How did you guys get paired up anyway?"

"Ms. Nakamura picked our partners randomly," Koushiro explained. "And there were more boys than girls in the class."

"Ah," the young girl nodded. "I see." She looked back at Yumi, then her eyes widened. Her eyes faced the two boys on the couch, then back at the little girl.

Taichi knew where this was going. "Don't say it, Hikari. We know. Sora spotted it and told us already."

His younger sister raised an eyebrow and shrugged her shoulders, dismissing the thought.

Their parents soon arrived home from work, surprised that a baby was in their home. Taichi and Koushiro explained to them their project in Sex Ed. class and that Yumi was to be their "daughter" for the next two weeks. Mrs. Yagami was absolutely thrilled that their son was going to learn about responsibility. At this Taichi rolled his eyes.

His mother provided them with a crib and a car seat for the next day.

The night progressed peacefully. Koushiro showed his partner step-by-step how to change Yumi's diaper in the Yagami bathroom. After a good half hour of practice, Taichi had the procedure known like the back of his hand.

"See, if you had simply read the book," Koushiro reminded his friend, "this wouldn't have been so hard in the first place." He shook his head in mock disappointment. "How on earth did you make it through the quiz on diaper-changing last week?"

"I just cheated off Yamato's paper," Taichi shrugged. "Which, come to think of it, is probably the reason why I failed it."

"No kidding," laughed his partner, picking up the baby with her fresh diaper. "Come on, we have to go prepare another bottle of formula for her. It's about time for her to eat."

Taichi settled Yumi in a high chair that his mother had kept since her pregnancy with Hikari. Koushiro had found some baby food in the baby supply bag and handed a small container to his friend, who sat beside the child in the high chair, the computer genius on his other side at the dinner table. With a small spoon, Taichi tried to feed the child the mush from the container.

"I don't know how you people eat this stuff," he grimaced at the small plastic jar, "but it's supposed to be healthy for you, so eat up!"

Yumi resisted the spoonful of food, keeping her mouth firmly shut and turning her face away from, but finally Taichi shoved the small spoon into her mouth.

However, she didn't swallow.

The digidestined didn't notice though; he was too proud of his accomplishment. That is, until he was sprayed by the little girl and was covered in mashed green peas. She laughed at him, clapping her hands together. His family and Koushiro had joined in the laughter directed at the spectacle at the dinner table. He glared at the gigging baby.

"Finally!" burst Mr. Yagami. "Revenge for you spitting on me every time I fed you as a baby!" He couldn't suppress his laughter. Indeed, as a baby Taichi had been a nightmare to feed, his father having to endure each feeding time, only to have half the baby food on himself and the rest splattered all over the baby's face and chest. "Hope you get used to being covered in food, son. This will be happening quite often."

"Gee, thanks for he advice, Dad," the defeated teen grumbled, scowling.

"Here, Tai," Koushiro offered, trying to keep a straight face. "Let me handle this." They switched seats as he took a spoonful of the baby food. Yumi obediently accepted the mush, gulping it down and waiting for more. She smiled at her redhead "parent".

"Okay," scowled the brunette. "Now I'm convinced that either she likes you more or just likes to watch me suffer." He pouted. "You're just like Jyou's Sakura."

"Well," his younger friend replied. "Yumi does like your hair." Hikari giggled at this.

"Yay. I'm thrilled."

Dinner passed, and Taichi took a quick shower to wash the mush from his body. He found Yumi asleep in the crib beside his bed and Koushiro working on his homework at his desk.

"Oh hey," whispered the younger teen. "I just finished filling out today's log in the packet. I was thinking we should alternate days to fill them out."

"Sure," agreed Taichi, toweling off his hair. Both boys were in sleeping clothes.

A phone ring in the bedroom shattered the silence. The brunette lunged at his phone and picked it up, whispering a harsh "hello" into the receiver. To his relief Yumi had not awakened at the loud ringing.

"Taichi!" cried a cracking voice at the other end. "Thank God you're there!"

"Yamato?" A smile curled onto his lips.

"Yes!" He sounded exasperated. "Please, you and Koushiro need to come to Sora's right now! She and her mom have gone mad with the baby! I can't change Kenji's diaper, and I got slapped for failing the diaper-changing quiz! SORA SLAPPED ME!"

Taichi was holding the phone away from his ear. Yamato's screaming was a bit loud. Koushiro even heard it, judging by the way he had snorted in response to his friend's crying. "Sorry, dude," replied the brunette coolly. "Yumi's already asleep, and I wouldn't want to wake her."

"No! Taichi! You…" he hung up the phone, clutching his stomach in repressed laughter.

Three seconds later, the phone rang once more, Taichi once again picking it up.

"Yes?" He was expecting Yamato.

"So…much…pink…" said the frozen voice. A baby was wailing in the background, as well as Mimi's high-pitched screech.

"Jyou?" Taichi's eyes widened.

"…Pink…get me away from here…" Jyou sounded as if he were on the brink of tears.

"Okay, Jyou, listen to me very closely," he consoled his older friend. "Whatever you do, don't insult the color pink. Whatever you do! Don't. Do. It. Got that? I'll see you tomorrow." Taichi hung up the phone. Beside him, Koushiro was trying his best to stifle his giggles.

"All I can say is poor Jyou and Yamato," he whispered.

The redhead nodded in gleeful agreement. He set up his sleeping bag on the floor beside his partner's bed and curled up inside.  
"We should be getting to sleep now," he yawned. "See you in the morning Taichi. Goodnight Yumi."

"Yeah, goodnight Yumi." Taichi was getting extremely drowsy. "Goodnight Kou." Letting out one last yawn, he took a final look at the baby girl in the crib and his friend on the floor before crawling into bed and drifting into a deep slumber.

That is, until Yumi's wailing was heard nearly two hours later.


	8. Tuesday Morning Tai's POV

**Taichi's POV**

"Taichi…Taichi…" a distant voice called my name. No, I wanted to keep my eyes closed. I wasn't ready to get up and free myself from my warm covers. I resisted by curling up tighter into a ball, groaning unhappily at whoever dared to wake me up.

"TAICHI!" I popped my eyes open to see my mother fuming at the doorway of my dim bedroom. My eyelids felt slightly crusty and everything seemed to be tinted gray.

God, I hated mornings.

"Look at the time!" my agitated mother hissed, pointing at the alarm clock on my bedside. I turned my head to the clock, picked it up, and squinted.

You know that bitter-tasting saliva you get when you get up in the morning? Well, I choked on it, and began coughing uncontrollably.

Only half an hour until the morning school bell rang? How can that be!

As I tried to calm my sudden coughing attack, I heard a muffled groan and a whimper. Beside me was a crib holding a little baby. On the floor was Koushiro in his sleeping bag. It was then I remembered what had happened the previous day: the project, Koushiro as my partner, rushing from class to class with baby Yumi, having to get up in the middle of the night to burp her. I also remembered the frantic phone calls from Yamato and Jyou. A few hacking laughs escaped my throat, as I smiled wryly. Yamato had sounded like he was going to wet himself. I couldn't wait to see him in first period. Heehee.

A shriek caused me to cover my ears and squint in pain. Yumi had just woken up. God, ouch, who would have thought that such a little girl could carry such a sound?

Koushiro instantly bolted from his sleeping bag, looked around and rushed over to Yumi. He picked her up and calmed her with a soft whispery soothing voice. I've never seen Kou act like this before. He's usually staring at the screen of his Pineapple laptop, which he had set aside beside his sleeping bag. You usually have to pry him off the keyboard. Weird.

I was happy I got him for a partner, though. At least he knew what he was doing. With Jyou and Yamato as their "fathers" for the next two weeks, Kenji and Sakura were doomed.

Actually, wait, no. Scratch that. Jyou and Yamato were doomed. They were stuck with Sora and Mimi. Ouch.

"Hurry up!" my mother shouted. She flung my uniform in my face. I unbuttoned my sleeping shirt and yanked the white shirt over my head. As I got out of bed I shoved my pants up my legs.

Koushiro was already prepared to go to school by the time I had forced on my blazer. He was just about done zipping his backpack with his sleeping clothes and books shut. How did he do it?

"Let's go!" he said, slinging the backpack over his shoulder and taking the baby bag in hand. And so calm when he said it, too…

"We have to make time. Yumi's car seat still needs to be set up in your car."

I grabbed my schoolbag and Yumi's basket, now holding the baby girl, and rushed out of the bedroom. Screw oral hygiene. At least for now. I'm pretty sure I had a mint somewhere in my bag…

After unlocking my car, Kou settled the car seat into the back of my old Toyota and gently placed our baby into the seat.

I said "our". Strange.

Yumi whimpered, reaching her arms towards my friend. She obviously wanted to be held. I don't blame her. I always hated that car seat when I was a baby. Mom would practically have to padlock me to the seat so that I would sit still.

Didn't make much of a difference, though. I would still cry like there was no tomorrow. Just like Yumi was doing now.

The car door shut, and we were off to school. I looked sideways to Kou. He had dark circles under his eyes.

"Man, you look dead, Kou." I wasn't kidding either.

"Well you don't look much better yourself," he yawned. I looked up at my rear mirror. Wow, I did look pretty crappy. If I looked like this, Yamato and Jyou probably resembled something you fished out of the garbage can. Now I really couldn't wait to get to school!

Within minutes we finally arrived. My parking was pretty shameful, but I could care less at that moment. Okay, well, I could. I didn't want another parking ticket. I had just gotten one last month. Apparently I had parked in a Handicapped Zone. I could have sworn there wasn't a Handicapped Zone in the school parking lot last time I checked.

Damn Yamato had a field day when he found out about the ticket…

Kou unlatched Yumi from the seat and laid her in the basket. "I'll take care of her before lunch, and you'll take her afterward," he said. "Deal?"

"Deal!" I gave him the thumbs-up sign.

We ran to the building, racing against time. The bell rang right when we set foot in our first class of the day – Lit. Studies.

Yamato was there, in his usual spot at the back of the room. I burst out laughing.

"Dude! What happened to you! You look like crap!" I couldn't help it. He usually looked like he spent hours in front of a mirror fixing his hair perfectly in place. Now, his blond mop didn't know the meaning of the word "comb".

He gave me that face that clearly said, "Shut up or die." His glare didn't stop me from laughing, though.

Kou was giggling, too. We sat down beside Yamato, who didn't have Kenji with him. I guess Sora had him for this half of the school day.

The teacher began lecturing, and my mind went blank. I wasn't about to listen to her talk, when I only slept for, like, three hours the night before. Screw that.


	9. Jyou's Pain Tai's POV

The school day finished quickly. At lunchtime Sora and Mimi went off to take Kenji and Sakura for a round around the school. Me, Kou, Jyou and Yamato sat at the benches, barely able to pick up our chopsticks to eat our noodle bowls. Kou had Yumi in his lap, with a bottle of milk.

"Guys," Jyou groaned. "Why didn't anybody warn me that Mimi's room was pure pink? Do you have any idea what mass amounts of pink do to me?"

I patted his shoulder. "Sorry dude." I felt sorry for the guy. I really did. Being in a pink bedroom for hours with Mimi Tachikawa and a baby who laughed at my suffering would make me want to shoot myself.

"And now I have to use my old pair of glasses, because Sakura won't give mine back!" he cried. "These squeak!"

Koushiro laughed. "Just what did you expect from Mimi?" Yumi giggled along with him when he took the bottle out of her mouth. "I'd be careful if I were you, though. You should keep Mimi from turning Sakura into a clone of herself."

"Yeah," Yamato agreed. "Spare the world from Mimi Junior."

Koushiro, Yamato and I visibly shuddered. God, one is enough!

"Come on," Jyou said quietly. "She isn't all that bad."

Did I sense a defensive tone in his voice? I smirked evilly. Taichi Yagami will not let this go. I elbowed his ribs, giving him a trademark grin.

"Oooh! Does Jyou have a little crush on our little Mimi?" Sometimes I love being a pain. The look on Jyou's face was absolutely worth it.

His face was glowing red, and his expression was that of someone who had just stuck a fork into an electrical socket. Priceless.

What I love about Jyou is that he is the absolute perfect person to taunt. He's one of those people who gets all twitchy and spastic when they're really nervous. Watching him freak out can make anyone's day.

Yamato raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Wow, Jyou, you're lucky. Guys all over school would kill to take your spot as her partner! Do you know how many dudes are dying to spend the night with her?"

"But we didn't do anything last night!" Jyou stuttered. If it was possible to turn even redder, his face did just that.

"Right, Jyou," Kou remarked coolly, still holding Yumi in his lap. He looked up, his eyes totally serious. "We all know you think Mimi would be the perfect candidate to procreate with."

That did it. He face faulted and promptly fainted. Yamato and I burst out laughing. Nice one, Kou!

"Well, it is the truth," he said logically. "He looked at her a lot during our time in the Digital World. And remember he was oddly overjoyed when she called from America to tell us that she was coming back?"

Come to think of it, he had a point. I remembered that Jyou was smiling like crazy for an entire week after Mimi had called. And he wouldn't say why.

Jyou was left on the ground as Yamato told us about his experiences at Sora's apartment with Kenji. The dark circles under his eyes weren't a good sign. He was obviously shaken. I tried to keep myself from cracking up.

"Honestly guys, I don't think I can go back there again. It's like she's a different person around Kenji. It's scary!"

"Dude you're under her control, now. Whatever she says goes. Besides it's only until next Friday, right?" I tried to sympathize with him, but I just couldn't. My partner wasn't psycho.

He whimpered in response, hanging his head. Strange, because Yamato was usually so calm and collected. Very different from the stone-cold loner from five years ago.

But you'd think he'd know by now that Sora, our calm, mellow-headed Sora, can switch to psychotic angry Sora in a split second.

"Peekaboo!" We looked sideways at Kou. Instant sweat drop. He was playing peekaboo with Yumi, who looked extremely happy clapping her hands together and giggling. He looked over at us.

"What?" Kou looked confused.

You have to understand that Kou has always been the logical and mature one of the group. His way of thinking makes us all scratch our heads, and he usually spends his days checking e-mail or solving weird theories. So watching him play peekaboo with a baby girl was just short of strange. Out of place.

But I couldn't help but smile. The scene was actually really cute.

Did I say cute?

The bell rang. Lunch was over. Class was going to start in five minutes.

Yay.

Kou handed me the baby in her basket. "Your turn."

I walked with him to our next class, leaving Yamato to wake up Jyou, who was still out cold on the benches. Poor guy.

I'm so going to make fun of him later on.


	10. After School Tai's POV

I did actually poke fun at Jyou after school that day. He and Yamato were going to have Mimi and Sora sleep over at their places that night. They were shifting uncomfortably on their feet. They had the right to, too.

Their apartments weren't exactly fit for a girl to stay in. I've been to both many times before. Not a pretty sight. I shouldn't be complaining though.

I'm a guy. I prefer the unorganized filth of my room.

I nudged Jyou's arm and smirked. "Don't mess up your chance, man."

The girls were there. Mimi looked blankly at me. "Those goggles have messed up your brain Taichi."

"That's what you think!" I don't see how Mimi couldn't see it. Wasn't it kind of obvious?

"Whatever." Sora rolled her eyes.

"At least I'm not a complete maniac."

"What?" she arched an eyebrow, turning to Yamato. "What have you been telling them, Yamato?"

He laughed nervously, then glared at me as Sora dragged him away by the arm with Kenji's basket in her other hand. Yeah, I was pretty lucky to have Kou. The look that Sora had could melt someone instantly.

"Are you ready to go Jyou?" Mimi asked, winking at him. He blushed and stuttered. I took the opportunity to nudge him harder in the ribs. Kou waved goodbye with a smile that was suspiciously way too sweet.

"Have a good time Jyou!"

He gulped. Mimi handed him Sakura's basket as they walked in the opposite direction towards Jyou's car in the school's front parking lot. If only I had a way of looking into his apartment that night. I would love to see what would go on with my older friend, especially now that his little crush was known.

He's so going to freak!

"Got everything?" Kou asked, looking up at me. Yumi was sleeping in the basket. She shifted on her side, letting out a soft sigh.

You know, I was beginning to get really fond of her.

"Yeah, let's go. Your house this time?"

"That's what he had previously agreed upon, correct?"

I nodded and we headed to the back parking lot to drive to Kou's apartment.


	11. A Trip to the Store Tai's POV

Apparently Mom had called Mrs. Izumi and told her all about Yumi and the project. Kou and I entered the apartment, and she was squealing down the hallway. I guess she was anxious to meet the baby. Women are weird like that. They see a baby, and they completely change.

"Oh! She's absolutely adorable!" She cuddled the baby, who looked thoroughly confused. "What's her name? Yuki?"

"Yumi, mother," Koushiro corrected. He picked her up, and the confusion was wiped off her face. She snuggled into his uniform. I couldn't help but brush a finger on her cheek. This was so much like Hikari when she was a baby.

Now she was a teenager and hanging out a lot with Takeru. Mental note: corner Takeru and threaten him not to touch sister. I pouted at the thought.

"Hello Taichi," Mrs. Izumi greeted me warmly. She was like a second mother to me, since I was over at this apartment so often.

I smiled back.

In Kou's room a crib was set up. Mrs. Izumi obviously wanted to be prepared for Yumi's arrival.

We changed into more comfortable clothes. Thank God, finally. That green jacket was beginning to get so itchy. I hated the school uniform.

Kou, on the other hand, didn't mind it. "At least you don't have to spend so much time in the morning picking out an outfit you're only going to wear for about six hours," he had said.

Good point.

"Taichi, I think we have to purchase a few items from the store. There is only one more packet of formula left in the supply bag." He showed me the inside of the baby bag, and I saw that indeed we needed to go shopping.

"Sure. Let's go!" I grabbed my keys and Kou's wrist and ran out the door of the apartment. Looking back at him, I saw that he was a bit surprised at how I snatched his wrist. I gave him a wide smile, one of the ones that not even Daisuke could match.

We rushed to the nearest store in my old Toyota and walked into the section where they had piles and piles of diapers and an array of baby food of all kinds of labels.

Much like the section of women's products, I'd never thought I'd set foot in this aisle, especially with my best friend.

I really hope I don't ever have to enter that particular aisle. My eye seemed to twitch.

"What do we need then?" I asked quickly. I had no idea.

"Diapers, formula," he listed. "Baby food, a special smaller feeding spoon, and probably some clothes." Yeah, that little green dress Yumi's been wearing hadn't had the greatest smell lately.

Our eyes scanned the many containers and packages on the shelves. I immediately put my hands on a gigantic pack of diapers and carried it towards Kou.

"I don't think she'll need that many," he laughed, covering his mouth.

"Hey man," I said in a serious tone. "You never know." My reason for taking that jumbo pack? Hikari as a baby. Enough said.

Getting the food and formula was much tougher. There were just so many different kinds! God, how on earth did people choose these things so easily? Why couldn't there just be one kind of formula and food?

Kou ended up just choosing those that looked about the same as the one we've gotten in our supply bag from Ms. Nakamura. Smart move. The spoon was no problem. Now we just had to pick out some clothes.

With the huge pack of diapers in my arms I followed my friend to the baby department in the clothes section of the store.

Why is it that the baby department is right by women's lingerie? Why?

There we stood frozen in front of the hangers of colorful outfits. Not frozen in awe of the utter cuteness of each dress and bow. Frozen in complete disgust of the utter cuteness of each dress and bow.

"Before we know it there will be thousands of Mimi's roaming the world," Kou shuddered. No way were we going to dress up Yumi like a girly girl. I wasn't about to torture her. She didn't deserve it. Like I had said before I was starting to really like the little project.

Kou and I made our way to the boys' section and sighed in relief. Not a speck of pink or bright neon green here. We chose some shorts and T-shirts for Yumi. She'll thank us later on.

Kou paid for Yumi's supplies at the register, where the clerk raised his eyebrow at us, probably wondering what the hell was going, but not wanting to ask.

We drove home to his apartment. A loud wail was heard as we climbed the stairs. My God, was that her?

Kou's steps got faster, but I couldn't do anything. I had to hold the pack of diapers, and massive size of the pack made it hard for me to watch my step. Great, just great.

He yanked the door open, and the screeches got even louder. I really wish I had my hands free. I wanted cover my ears.

Realizing where I was I flung aside the economy-size package and raced with Kou to his room. Mrs. Izumi was there, trying to comfort Yumi in her arms. Obviously it wasn't working…

"Koushiro!" she cried frantically. "She won't calm down!"

He took the baby from his mom's arms and cradled her in his own. She slowly quieted down, as she looked up to see who was holding her. Yumi beamed and settled happily in Kou's arms.

Wow, he certainly had talent.

I tickled Yumi's chin, and she reached upward like she had in my car the day before. Kou held her up by my hair, and she grabbed a handful.

Mrs. Izumi smiled. "She certainly loves her parents, doesn't she?

That made me blush, like I had the previous day in Ms. Nakamura's class when she called out the pairings. Probably even more.


	12. Plans for Tomorrow Tai's POV

After having dinner and finishing homework, I filled the second day in the packet, which was a major pain in the ass, I might add. Did I mention how much I hated homework? Especially Pre-Calculus. Math isn't my thing. Neither is Lit. Studies, or Chemistry or World History. At least I was better in those subjects than Yamato. As far as I knew, the only thing in his notebook was a bunch of doodles and song lyrics he worked on each period.

Yumi was sleeping in her crib. She had been fed, burped, and her diaper was changed (by me, thank you very much). I was just hoping that she wouldn't wake up crying in the middle of the night. Looking dead wasn't fun. Unless you're Yamato. Or someone looking at Yamato.

Kou and I had changed into our pajamas, and I had finally brushed my teeth for the first time that day. Mints just weren't enough.

My friend was already settled in bed. He had laid a sleeping bag on the floor beside the bed.

"Hey Taichi," he breathed. "I think we should take Yumi to the movies tomorrow. To take her out a bit."

"Sure! That's a good idea. She'll like that." There was a pause. "How do you think Jyou and Yamato are doing?"

Kou chuckled. "We'll just have to see tomorrow, won't we?"

Another pause.

"But I won't be surprised if Yamato resembles a banshee." We both laughed. Yes, tomorrow will be good.

My stomach felt funny for some reason. Did I eat something bad? Nah, dinner was great. For some reason it felt like it did when I was watching girls in bikinis playing beach volleyball on TV a couple of weeks ago.

There was no girl in a bikini in Kou's room. Not even a poster of a girl who was mildly scantily-clad.

…Strange.


	13. The Movies Tai's POV

I think I was going to look forward to every morning in first period. Just looking at Yamato, banging his head on his desk, would make my day. I didn't look much better, but he was a pretty boy.

It was funny. Who wouldn't agree?

After school Kou and I drove to my house to drop off our things and dress up Yumi in one of the pairs of cargo shorts and shirts that we had gotten at the store yesterday. Hikari eagerly offered to do her hair. She attacked her with a hairbrush and elastics. Creepy.

Why do girls always get all jumpy when it comes to hair? I mean, you brush it, and then it gets all messy again in a few hours. What's the point?

Just look at my hair. It looks fine! Never brushed it either.

Hikari gave her braided pigtails with pink elastics. Kou snorted at the pink.

And we had tried to keep our baby away from the God-forsaken color.

I was happy with the rest of her outfit, though.

I said "our" again… maybe I'm just getting used to being paired with him… yeah.

My sister beamed at her work. "Now you're going to look cute for her day at the movie, aren't you?" she tickled Yumi. I grinned smartly and hastily took her away from Hikari. No more cuteness.

In the car Kou was holding Yumi in his arms. She didn't want to go in the baby car seat and made that clear when she wouldn't let go of his shirt when trying to set her in place.

Persistent little kid.

He had a rattle in his free hand, shaking it above her head, as she extended her arms to try and reach the prize. The expression on his face was so calm, like someone who was sunbathing on the beach. Not a care in the world. Or like someone who knew exactly what was going to happen in the future and wasn't at all worried.

Which is weird, because usually Kou was stressed with schoolwork or really deep in thought about some complicated theory.

Now his face showed something completely different. I mean, sure, even when he was stressed, he would try his best to keep his cool. But nothing like this.

He looked…almost…almost angelic.

Did I just think that?

"What."

"Huh?"

"You were staring at me. Is there some kind of foreign object on my face?"

"What? Oh, no!" I forced a nervous laugh. He looked at me funny. I didn't blame him. His best friend was staring at him like a maniac. Heck, I'd be freaked out too.

"Well, keep your eyes on the road."

I blushed and jerked my eyes forward.

Why did I just do that? I mentally kicked myself, then let the thought go.

"So what are we going to watch?" Kou said, finally giving the rattle to the little girl, who proceeded to sticking it into her mouth. "Have anything in mind?"

"If it were my choice, I'd settle for that new action movie from America," I said. "I think it's a good idea to show her some violence. It'll be good for her, don't you think?"

Kou laughed, hitting my shoulder lightly. "Actually, I think they have a kid's movie open. About some magical bunny or something." He probably saw the horrified look distorting my face. "I think it's best to stay on the safe side for now."

Oh God, was I in for a fantastic afternoon.

At the ticket stand we asked for our tickets. "Umm…two adults and one child for…" I never thought I'd ever have say these words. "Puffy the Bunny and the Magical Carrot."

I had averted my eyes from the ticket person, but I had to look up to hand them the money. The ticket person was, in fact, a ticket boy. He looked familiar…spiky burgundy hair…tannish skin…my old goggles?

"Daisuke!"

"Hey Taichi!" he said with a goofy grin. "I didn't know you had a thing for singing bunnies." He tried to keep down a laugh, but it came out as a loud and obvious snort. I wanted to punch him or something at this point. Hurt him somehow…

I wonder if he's gotten over Hikari yet…

Nah, I don't think I'm that cold…

"I'm not. We just have to take Yumi to a movie. I think she's the one who likes bunnies." I moved out of the way to show Daisuke my partner, who was holding the little project. Kou waved hello to the younger digidestined, who looked like his head was about to explode from confusion.

"Hey Koushiro," he greeted slowly, eyebrows raised. I guess I could understand. It's not everyday you see a pair of teenage boys toting around a baby girl to see an overly-sweet kiddie movie about magical carrots. He looked from me, to the baby, to Koushiro, back to Yumi. She laughed at Daisuke's expression of perplexity.

I guess Hikari hadn't told him anything about the project.

"Sex Ed. project," I waved it off. His eyebrows returned to their normal position on his forehead and nodded his head.

"Now, what about our tickets?" I handed him the money.

"Oh right," he laughed. I received the three tickets.

"Daisuke," Kou appeared from behind me. "I didn't know you worked here."

"Yeah," he said, putting his hand behind his head, grinning. "My mom told me to get a job, since Jun got one at the supermarket."

The supermarket was near the building where Yamato and his band practiced every night. He has told us several times how he would have to have his drummer and bassist spy at the outside of the building, so that he would be able to sneak out without Jun detecting him. Man, you'd think she'd give up somehow, after seeing how Yamato would flinch at the mere mention of her name.

I wonder how she would react after discovering that he was taking two weeks off from his band to take care of Kenji…with Sora.

I guess Daisuke had the same thought in his head, because he had this dangerous smile on his face. It kind of reminded of the evil smile I have whenever I have a great prank in mind.

"Is Yamato doing this project too? I'm just wondering…"

"Yeah," I smirked. "With Sora."

Daisuke looked like Christmas had come early, and he had gotten three times more gifts than he had asked for.

"The project is only for two weeks, though." The younger boy didn't respond. He might have grown horns on his head at that moment.

"You're plotting, aren't you?" Kou asked, raising his eyebrow mischievously. Yumi clapped her hands in happiness.

"Of course not!" Daisuke laughed. "Now hurry up and go to your movie. You guys are holding up the line."

Poor Jun.

"Poor Yamato," my partner said. "He won't hear the end of it from Jun. I can hear her screaming now 'You already have a child!'" I didn't know Koushiro could make such an accurate psycho Jun voice impersonation.

We entered the darkened movie theatre, where a bunch of parents were trying to comfort crying toddlers and infants. The wails and whimpers echoed in my ears like the fire drill bell that rings every once in a while in school, that somehow goes off whenever you are within a five foot radius. Kou held Yumi tighter and tried to cover her ears. He clutched her basket harder in his free hand.

Some of the couples had turned our way when we set foot in the theatre. They had given us strange looks. I rolled my eyes and motioned to Kou to an empty row near the back. I didn't feel like giving yet another explanation of why we happened to be holding a baby.

The movie started minutes later. Kou had set Yumi in her basket in the seat between us. The happy cutesy jingle rang all throughout the dimmed room as a group of colorful bunnies were dancing in unison on the large screen. Yumi, with her cargo shorts and auburn braided pigtails, was bouncing in the basket, taking in the animated furry creatures.

Koushiro sighed loudly and was resting his elbow on the armrest, cupping his chin with his hand. "This is going to be a long movie."

No kidding.

Children were giggling and pointing at the screen as the bunnies were talking in high squeaky voices. I laid my head on the back of the seat and pouted. Why did I think that this came from America? All in their efforts to torture us. No matter how much Mimi defended the country, she wouldn't be able to speak for this.

"How could they travel in outer space with an extreme lack of oxygen?" Kou muttered two seats to my left. "They would explode in the high pressure."

I looked at the screen to see that the bunnies were in fact flying in the middle of outer space, away from Earth. They were in search for the magical carrot of friendship, I think.

A carrot? Ugh, this is sad.

If only they did explode.

I turned my head sideways at my friend and took in the sight before me. I never took the time to actually look at Koushiro closely. His skin was creamy, a very light tan color, a few faint freckles spread across his nose and cheeks. His hair was a fiery auburn color and was cut short compared to when we were stuck in the Digital World about five years ago. The eyes were very different from the rest of his light-colored features. They were a pure black, very deep.

The glow from the screen, showing the bunnies floating in space without any sort of protective headgear, was shining off his skin.

He looked almost…beautiful.

…Since when did I think like that?

Kou has been my friend ever since our adventure in the Digital World. He was probably my closest friend, the one I trusted the most. I could always count on him for homework help, someone to go check out the latest movie, who could listen to me whenever I felt like ranting about something. He's only my best friend.

So why was I still looking at him?

I quickly fixed my eyes at the screen in front of us. At the corner of my eye I saw that he turned and gave me a confused expression and looked as if he was about to say something. He didn't.

Instead he fixed Yumi in her basket, who was having slight difficulties sitting up.

I kept my eyes on the screen watching as the bunnies return to earth and travel through an enchanted forest to find that the magical carrot of friendship was actually inside all of them. It was so sugary sweet, I couldn't stand it.

So why was I suddenly so interested and stuck on the screen?

And why did my face feel all warm all of the sudden?

Was it that I…? Nah, it couldn't be…

…could it?

No, or course not.


	14. Saving Yumi from Brainwash Izzy's POV

I couldn't wait until Saturday finally arrived. Only two days away. School was actually starting to become a burden with this project hovering over us. Going from class to class was an obstacle in itself. Saturday will bring much rest and relaxation.

I haven't checked my e-mail in forever, either. My laptop is starting to get dusty from misuse!

Taichi and I were sleeping over at his own apartment today. Mom and Dad were going out of town to a conference, so they wanted me to stay with Taichi. They refused to let us stay at home alone.

I enjoyed going over to his place with Yumi. Hikari lent a helping hand in various ways, such as disposing of her soiled diaper or when we gave her a bath. That was good.

We needed all the help we can possibly be given.

Tonight, however, was a different story. Hikari was spending the evening with a friend. Unfortunately, for her, she slipped out the name of this friend. Takeru.

I was in the living room, feeding Yumi on the couch from her bottle, and frantic yells from Taichi erupted from the entrance hallway. They were almost incoherent, considering his exasperation towards his younger sister. They came along the lines of "he better not touch you, or else I'll kick his ass, I don't care if he is one of us."

She argued on her behalf as well, saying something about "independence" and "not being a little girl anymore".

Silence. Then the slamming of the front door.

Taichi stalked into the living room pouting and murmuring to himself. He plopped down beside me, arms crossed, like a child who was not given his way.

He was always protective of Hikari, ever since I could remember, and even more so when it was discovered that she was the eighth child soon after returning from the Digital World.

Dating was new territory for him, and he didn't like it, even if Takeru is the first boy to cross his younger sister's path. A trusted boy at that.

"I have to agree with your sister on this one Tai," I said, looking at him. "You are being a bit unreasonable. She's nearly fourteen, you know."

He grabbed one of the couch cushions and struck me over the head. "Shut up."

"I'm speaking the truth!" I continued, hands still holding Yumi and the bottle of formula. "Besides the boy is Takeru! Very lucky choice for you. He's respectful and he'll treat her very well."

Tai seemed to be digesting this information as I spoke, judging by the expression on his face. "He's an Ishida."

"Takaishi," I corrected. "He's a Takaishi."

"Still," he pouted, fighting the fact that he was being illogical. "They share the same genes."

I shook my head. So stubborn.

"Fine," he sighed. "But if he lays a hand on her, I'll…"

"Kick his ass, I know."

He looked at me with bewilderment. "You said 'ass'".

I blushed. That was very unlike me. My friends usually say I'm the pacifist of the group, the anti-violent one. The one who hardly ever swore, if not at all.

I've probably been spending too much time around Taichi.

I was glad that he dropped it, though. He changed the subject. "So what do you want to do now?"

"I think Yumi is in need of a bath," I replied. She was kind of sticky and had a rather peculiar smell.

"Another one?" He obviously didn't like giving the baby a bath. I can't blame him, actually. We gave her one here yesterday before taking her to the movies to watch that God-forsaken magical bunny movie. She had drenched us in her bath water, as well as the rest of the bathroom. Needless to say, Mrs. Yagami was not at all pleased with the situation. She made us towel the entire room dry. Good thing Hikari was there to help us finish the job in half the time.

To tell you the truth I wasn't looking forward to another bath either.

"Well, she smells funny," I pointed out. "Why don't you smell for yourself?" I picked Yumi up and held her up by Taichi's face. He backed away, paling.

"Okay," he said, defeated. "You win. Let's get it overwith."

He took her from my arms and headed to the small bathroom at the end of the hallway that also held Hikari and Taichi's rooms.

"Man, you do smell a little weird," he said to Yumi in front as I was following him to the location of yesterday's wet chaos. "What did you get into, huh?" He ruffled her auburn hair.

He undressed her and placed her in the tub. I noticed that he had become much more comfortable with the baby, especially by the way he handled her. I remember how he would get so nervous whenever he had to hold or feed Yumi. Of course, he wouldn't have been so self-conscious around her, if he had read the book on infants and their care provided in Health Class.

Others, I know, call the class "Sex Ed.", but I refuse to call it that, even if a large fraction of it is about sexual reproduction.

"At least our good clothes won't be all wet after this," he smiled back at me over his shoulder. He bent down to his knees beside the tub and turned on the knobs, letting lukewarm water out from the spout.

Yesterday, it had been our school clothes that became completely soaked. We were smart enough to leave them on when tending to Yumi in the tub. She was laughing at us just about as much as she was at that movie.

Now, we were changed into regular outfits.

I knelt down beside him, towel in hand, seizing a small plastic bowl that was tossed beside the tub. I filled it with water and poured it over her head.

She didn't look too pleased with the gesture. Her brown eyes yielded confusion, then sadness, then childish anger. I smiled an empathetic apology as I showered more warm water over her head to wet her fully.

"I know you don't like this part," Taichi exclaimed to the unhappy little girl, stealthily grabbing the bottle of shampoo resting on one side on the inside of the porcelain tub. "But you want clean hair, right? More than Sakura or Kenji?"

Lately, us six have been having a bit of a competition among our babies. It all started with Mimi saying that Sakura was the absolute, and I quote, "most adorable" kid in the class. Sakura's navy-colored hair had been put up into two low pigtails, and she was wearing a dark blue and pink dress, her feet adorned in white sandals. Jyou's glasses were loosely sitting on the tip of her nose, almost dangling from her face.

Sora had retorted and said that Kenji could compete with Sakura in a "Cutest Baby" contest. The blond boy was sporting a baseball cap, blue jeans, and a collared long-sleeved shirt. His hair under the cap looked like it had been attacked by Yamato and a tub of hair gel.

The girls began arguing about whose child was better looking, Yamato and Jyou off to the side, putting in little effort to try and stop them. I guess they had already withstood enough while staying over at their apartments.

Taichi, probably wanting to get in on the action, smartly stated that Yumi could beat all of them when it came to appearance. He had that grin plastered on his face. Sora and Mimi challenged each other, and Tai, to who would have the best-looking baby by the end of next week. It would be determined by Ms. Nakamura herself. The girls were probably planning to spring the question upon her the day our project was scheduled to end.

Now, I'm not saying I don't think Yumi is a pretty, young girl. Quite the contrary. She is a beautiful little girl. My mother would say it all the time when we brought her to our apartment.

It's just that on that particular day Yumi was wearing a pair of cargo shorts, a T-shirt, and boys' tennis shoes. Of course, I preferred her looking this way many times over her wearing a fluffy pink dress with overly large amounts of flowers. The only thing remotely feminine about the baby was the ponytail that Hikari had done to her hair that morning. I really don't think Ms. Nakamura would enjoy having one of the baby girls dressed up as a member of the opposite sex.

Yamato and Jyou had given Taichi the dirtiest of looks, but he paid no attention to them. He was too busy smirking proudly at our baby. Now they had to become even more critical with how Kenji and Sakura looked. Pity for them.

To think, all of this occurred just yesterday morning before lunch.

"Hey Koushiro," he said beside me. Yumi's hair was foam-covered and on a mound on her head. "Hand me the soap, will you?"

I handed him the bar, and he proceeded to using a washcloth to scrub her body clean. I filled the bowl with more water and splashed the foam from her auburn hair and light-skinned body. More water was poured on her until all the suds had disappeared. She obviously was not enjoying this one bit. She kept trying to evade the water and retaliated by splashing the liquid at us.

Taichi turned the knobs off as I took out a towel from the closet beside the entrance of the bathroom. I patted her hair dry and picked her up with the towel and carried her to Tai's room, where the diaper-changing supplies was waiting for me in the bag.

"Thanks for leaving me the mess," he called from the bathroom. The floor was damp, and both our shirts were doused multiple times.

"At least it's not as bad as last time," I muttered. Yumi gave me a crafty smile and laughed. I put her into a pair of blue jeans and a soccer jersey Tai had chosen out especially for her.

I took her out into the living room, just as my friend exited the bathroom drying his arms using another towel.

"Okay, to make up for the movie yesterday," he said grinning. "I think we should watch a movie here. One of the types I wanted to watch."

I had to admit I was in the mood for a good action movie filled with explosions and combat. Definitely not my way of being, but after the film yesterday, violence on screen was the only thing that could cure from the torture I had to endure from the array of rainbow-colored bunnies. Even if Yumi clearly loved it to bits.

Yumi was placed on the carpet, while Tai took a movie cassette from the cabinet that was placed under the VCR. I ran to the kitchen and prepared a bowl of popcorn and garnered a few sodas from the fridge.

We sat cross-legged on the floor, the bowl of hot popcorn between us, and a collection of pop cans ready to be opened.

The movie began as the blackened television screen flashed, and for the next ninety minutes we were enthralled by gunshots, blasts and the shouts of homicidal sociopaths. Taichi yelled with much enthusiasm at each burst of fire, and eventually I caught on with this pattern.

Yumi, sitting in front of us during the show, seemed to be entranced by the scenes of frenzy that we didn't bother to shield her eyes from. She eventually began to giggle at every explosion popping on screen.

Maybe all those scenes with multi-colored dancing furry creatures were wiped from her head.

The screen darkened, signaling the movie had ended.

Yumi crawled to the base of the television and looked back at us with those brown eyes. She looked just like Taichi when he wanted something and flashed anyone who cared big doe eyes. Rarely had they worked on me. But those eyes were coming from a baby girl…I couldn't resist.

"Hey Tai," I shifted my head towards him. We were resting on our stomachs, bloated from popcorn and soda. "I think she wants to watch another one."

"Are you serious?" His eyes widened, lifting his head to see Yumi staring back at her with those big eyes that resembled so closely his own. "Yes! She has no memory of the evil bunny movie!" He jabbed a fist upward into the air.

Tai jumped up and yanked yet another cassette out of the cabinet, this one sure to be filled with as many bullets and fires as the first.

I sat up and gathered Yumi into my arms as she crawled towards me. My brunette friend dashed to his kitchen and came back with yet another batch of soft drinks, which were eventually gone about a half hour into the movie.

I guess drowsiness from drinking one too many carbonated drinks and lying motionless for a long span of time caught Tai and I both, because we weren't shouting at any object randomly rupturing.

Only Yumi was clapping and giggling at the chaos on screen, now.

My eyelids were starting to fall, and I laid on my stomach to rest my head on my arms for a short time.

The next thing I knew Yumi was asleep on the floor, and the screen had returned to its original charcoal color. The popcorn bowl was overturned a few feet away. Soda cans littered the area.

I saw a pair of feet before me and tilted my head up to see their owner.

Hikari, unsuccessfully trying to cover up her laughter. What was she laughing at?

I lifted my shoulders from the floor and felt somebody right beside me, then distinguished something resting on my back. Turning my head to the left I saw Taichi barely awakening from the sugar-induced sleep, his face in very close proximity to mine. His hand was on the small of my back.

Getting up from the floor, I stretched, letting Tai's hand fall completely to the carpet. His eyes popped open in an instant. They surveyed his surroundings for a split second, then his entire body leapt from the floor.

"Oh, hey, Kou!" he laughed nervously, scratching his head. I could barely catch glimpse his face under his abnormally large head of hair.

Awkward silence.

"You guys better be glad mom and dad aren't back yet," Hikari smirked. "You need to clean up this mess."

Taichi looked his sister over, seeming to be coming out of a small trance. "Hey, you came back," he pointed out the obvious. "Did he touch you?" His eyebrow quirked up as he crossed his arms.

Hikari only smiled sweetly and casually strode to her room in the hallway. "Clean up."

This only led to pouting and muttering under his breath on Tai's part, something along the lines of "Ishidas being evil", as we started collecting the empty pop cans strewn across the living room after placing the sleeping baby girl in her crib.

There wasn't much spoken between us for that amount of time. On his part.

Was it because of his hand on my back?

I actually didn't mind. People naturally move around and change positions in their sleep. Nothing wrong with that. I sometimes wake up to find myself protectively hugging a pillow. A lot of people do that.

Nonetheless he eventually returned to his normal Taichi self before his parents returned that night.


	15. What should we do this Weekend Izzy's PO

"So guys, I was thinking," began Sora. She was giving a squeeze toy to Kenji so that she would be able to take a bit of noodles from her bowl. The baby boy was placed in the lap of Yamato, who was still chewing on a piece of chicken. Yamato's hair obviously hadn't seen hair gel in ages. "I think we should all go to the beach tomorrow."

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Mimi was holding Sakura by her hands, slightly hunched to let her walk around a bit around the benches. "Sakura could wear the new bathing suit we bought her yesterday."

I looked at Jyou, who was shaking up a bottle of formula. I ponder how he managed to survive a shopping excursion with Mimi.

He seemed calmer than usual today…wonder why?

"It'll give us some time to relax a little," agreed Yamato. He actually looked pleased with the idea.

All of us hadn't had a moment to simply lie flat and think about nothing, except for those couple of hours Taichi and I had yesterday at his house, when we watched those movies with Yumi.

"I guess that means we have to go back to the store again, Tai," I looked up at my partner. The little girl was sitting quietly in his lap, sucking placidly on her thumb. "She needs a bathing suit."

"Oh no," he said rather quickly. "We could just use her regular shorts and one of my old T-shirts."

"Oh," I replied. "Alright…"

"And it's supposed to be a nice day tomorrow, too!" Sora continued. "Lots of sun!" She looked over at Yamato, who had promptly taken out a hairbrush from his schoolbag and was carefully brushing Kenji's blond strands. "Do you have to do that so often?"

He glared at her. "If I can't brush my hair, I'm taking care of his!"

"Hey, I'm not going to argue with you…" she smiled. Sora seemed to have lightened up a bit with Kenji. Just a couple of days ago, she would have screamed her lungs out.

I laughed and turned my head towards Tai. He was staring at Yumi, deep in concentration.

"Tai?" What's the matter? Is something wrong with her?" I looked her over. She seemed to be in good health.

"Nothing." His answer was curt. He kept his eyes glued on the baby.

"He's probably on soccer withdrawal," Yamato smirked. "He doesn't think of anything else."

"Jun knows about Sora," he looked straight at Yamato. There was a detrimental smile that could only mean that he's been waiting for the right time to reveal that information.

Yamato face faulted and looked as if he had been kicked right in between the legs. It was rather disturbing how Taichi fed off our blond friend's pain as Daisuke did Jun's. They would laugh in their faces, pointng and mocking.

The blonde will now be searching for another escape route and strategy to run from Jun, as she will probably become more persistent in her quest for his affections.

Taichi, once again, returned his eyes to their original position, boring into Yumi. She glanced up at him and tugged at his green uniform coat. I guess she sensed that something was wrong, as well.

He only returned a weak simper.

Maybe he just had a headache. I decided not to delve into it. I learned not to from the last time he had punched me in the Digital World.


	16. What's Wrong with Tai? Izzy's POV

His stoicism was starting to concern me. I faced the bed beside me, where he was sleeping, from my sleeping bag on the floor. When we had driven home from school, he barely spoke and his eyes were frozen on the road. Usually we were talking about something humorous that had occurred that day or he was engaging in an angry tirade about some teacher.

Nothing today.

Then, arriving at the Yagami residence, he hastily changed into informal attire and abruptly left the premises.

Maybe he was just angry that Hikari had started seeing Takeru. When she had said hello to him at entering the apartment, he merely glanced at her to acknowledge her presence.

She had asked me what his problem was.

I didn't hold an answer to that.

I was quite certain it had something to do with Hikari's dating. After all, he was vigilant of her, her older brother.

Maybe he just needed some time to think, to be alone for a while. The last time I had seen him this pensive was when he was trying to deduce some sort of plan to defeat our enemies five years ago.

He came back at a little bit after dinner. His parents were very much malcontent and reminded him about his responsibility.

I didn't mind attending after Yumi by myself. I was okay with it.

Hikari had tried to ask him what was vexing him, but he just had the same answer each time. Nothing.

So now here I was, lying in my sleeping bag, Yumi exhaling softly into the silence of his room. Concern hazed my mind.

Why was I thinking that the reason for his probable anger and quiescence was me?


	17. Taichi's Sudden Departure Izzy's POV

"Taichi," I called from the bedroom. "Where do you have the sunblock?" Yumi was sitting on his bed, dressed in one of her khaki shorts and an old soccer jersey of Tai's when he was around her age.

Hikari had gathered her hair into two balls on the top of her head. She had become the baby's unofficial stylist. Tai and I did not object to this because, really, would we have any idea how to maneuver something like a curling iron? We don't even look the part. The proof? Just look at Tai's massive hair.

"In the bathroom," he responded shortly.

I was putting all of the necessary supplies for our excursion to the beach with our friends in one of his soccer bags.

"Umm…Kou," he voiced from the living room. "Why don't you hitch a ride with Mimi and Jyou…I'll meet you guys there."

Wait…what?

With a jingle of his keys the door shut, and I was left alone with Yumi before I had the chance to respond. Hikari had gone to the amusement park with Takeru. Mr. And Mrs. Yagami had left this morning to visit friends in Tokyo for the week. We had the house all to ourselves.

I rushed to the apartment balcony with Yumi in my grasp just in time to see the red Toyota drive off in the direction of the beach. The little girl tugged on my white sleeveless shirt, pointing at the small figure of the car.

"I guess we're going with Jyou and Mimi."


	18. The Beach Izzy's POV

"So Taichi just left you and drove away?" Jyou looked over his shoulder for a second as he maneuvered his SUV towards the beach near Odaiba High School. There was a hint of incredulity in his voice. I caught his eyebrows rising in the rearview mirror from my position in the back seat.

Yumi rested in my lap, playing with a rattle. Sakura, who was placed on Mimi's legs in the passenger's seat, eyed her curiously.

"Yeah." I sounded cracked. Downcast.

Mimi gave me a reassuring glance, wearing a brand new sunhat, an expression of sympathy on her face. "That's not like Taichi at all. It sounds like something Yamato would probably do." She seemed thoughtful. "Something's bothering him…have you tried talking to him?"

"No," I replied softly. "He's been quiet." Much too quiet. "I don't want to get him even more angry." If he was angry. I didn't want to send Tai over the edge, like the last time. I thought to when he struck me years ago, when he was worrying over Hikari's safety. My hand impulsively went to my cheek.

I could almost feel the throbbing once more.

"Why would he be angry at you?" Jyou interjected. "You're his best friend, aren't you?"

"That's what I thought…" I said. The SUV came to a steady stop, and I peered out the window to catch a glimpse of waves calmly clashing onto the white sand.

"Koushiro," Mimi piped, squeezing my knee from the front seat. "Don't think on it too much." She giggled. "For all we know he could just be pissed over some silly argument with Yamato!"

I smiled at her. I really hoped it was as simple as that.

"Now, forget about it for a while and enjoy the day!" She opened the car door and stretched in the sunlight, leaving Sakura, with her arms reaching towards her caretaker in the seat. "I think we all need a break after a week of babysitting, don't you think?"

Sighing, I let myself out of the vehicle and toted Yumi and the soccer bag towards the beach, where I spotted Sora and Yamato in the distance. Yamato's coupe was parked in front of Jyou's SUV. And in front of the coupe was…

A red Toyota.

Tai?

Seated beside the blonde on the towel that had been spread out was a tan-skinned figure with a mop of unruly brown hair. Taichi.

I was alleviated with the fact that he had actually come. Part of me was presuming that he had driven off to some unknown location, like he had the night before. I still had no idea where he had gone.

Sora, who was building a rudimentary sandcastle with Kenji, waved at us and motioned to set our things in their area. Yamato waved, as well, smiling coolly. Tai, on the other hand, didn't even turn his head.

I trudged through the sand, feeling the grains pour into my sandals, and dropped the soccer bag near Taichi. I sat cross-legged beside him, lowering Yumi onto the soft sand, leaving her to explore.

"Hey," I said, almost apprehensive of how he might respond.

"Hey."

Well, at the very least, he said something to me.

Only seconds later. "Yamato, want to play a game of volleyball?"

The blonde's eyes widened and his eyebrows twisted into an annoyed visage. He sighed. "Sure, Tai." He and my brunette friend stood up and headed for the volleyball that was sitting under the umbrella that Sora had erected.

I didn't bother to bore into it. It sent an ache in me, but like Mimi said, I was here to enjoy myself. Taking out the sunscreen from the soccer bag, I put Yumi in my lap and proceeded to rub the white substance on her exposed skin.

She obviously did not appreciate the greasy liquid; she tried to rub it off. Realizing that it was useless to try to smear it away, she looked up and pouted at me.

"Hey, it's either greasy skin or skin cancer," I said to her, squeezing more into my hand. "You choose."

She completely ignored me and kept trying to take off the sunscreen. I didn't try to stop her. I also hated it with a vengeance.

When she was thoroughly covered she crawled along the sand away from our towel towards Kenji and his sandcastle.

Again, alone.

But at least I was smart enough to have brought my trusty laptop.

I flipped the yellow top open, and my fingers glided over the keys, not having felt them for so long, not having been trapped inside the screen.

Tai once told me that he thought I used my computer as a gateway to erotic material, or as he put it, "naked chicks". We were at the park with Yamato and Jyou and at this, Jyou had choked on a sandwich he had just sunk his teeth into and Yamato had fallen over laughing.

"Koushiro?" the blonde had roared gleefully. "Looking at porn? Tai, that's like saying you quit the soccer team to join the knitting club!"

"Well, it's just that he's a guy and he's always on the Internet," he countered. "And there's a ton of those kinds of websites, aren't there?" He seemed rather convinced with his argument. "And since when did we have a knitting club?"

I guess I can see the logic in his thinking, since there have been a few incidents at school where male students have been caught ogling undressed females performing lewd acts on the school computers. But I don't see how he could connect me with those kinds of websites. To tell you truth I have never been suddenly compelled to have my eyes exposed to women in little or no clothing.

I looked up just in time to see the volleyball collide with Jyou's face. He was now sprawled on the sand, an odd sound emitting from his mouth. Tai and Yamato laughed full-force at him clutching their stomachs. Mimi, who was sunbathing on a towel alongside Sora, leapt up and rushed to her partner. To everyone's surprise she kissed his injured nose. Tai and Yamato looked positively stunned. Sora probably had no idea of this, because her eyes looked on in incredulity.

I understood why. I was still surprised, even though my suspicions had been confirmed. Mimi and Jyou were on opposite ends of the spectrum. She was flamboyant and a social butterfly and he was seen studying most of the time and worrying about several things at once. This, however, explains Jyou's calm behavior the last couple of days.

Maybe our taunting him did him some good.

Sakura, who was also by Yumi, Kenji and the sandcastle, giggled uncontrollably at her "father's" clash with the volleyball. I was starting to believe that maybe she did, in fact, enjoy Jyou's pain. And it was slightly disturbing.

But neither the accident nor the new revelation of Mimi and Jyou's relationship caught my full attention. It was Taichi's sudden change in demeanor. He looked so content, laughing and enjoying himself. So mirthful.

Why was he so different around me?

I sighed and looked back at the screen of my laptop. Checking my e-mail, I found I had received a lot of junk mail and few notes from pen pals and Internet friends, which I replied to.

Thinking of the Computer Club, I mailed Miyako a note of issues and ideas she should bring up in the next scheduled meeting the following week.

And then…blank. At that moment I felt as if I no longer wanted to explore the Internet. I didn't want to be on my computer. My mind was somewhere else…and I didn't know where…I was thinking of something else…but I didn't know what…

I don't think I've experienced that feeling before.

Shutting the laptop, I looked at the beach in front of me. It was absolutely breathtaking.

Yumi had to enjoy this too.

Rising from my cross-legged position on the towel, I picked her up away from her digging in the dampened sand and led her to the soft waves. She stared at me with those big eyes as I lowered her onto the clear ocean water. A small wave rolled and pushed lightly, causing her to topple on her bottom against my shins. She had been shakily standing. With curiosity, she moved her hands through the water and happily splashed around.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Taichi looking amused at Yumi's antics in the ocean water. I turned my head, but he had returned to his ongoing volleyball game with Yamato and Jyou.

Eventually we returned to our place on the sand. I was raising a stuffed toy above her head, when Taichi wordlessly walked towards us and picked up the little girl. He sat by the edge of the waves, Yumi sitting in his lap. I watched from a distance as he seemed to be thoughtfully staring at the baby, once again, pondering about some unknown something.

I couldn't help but wonder what on earth was stirring his mind at that instant.

Yamato and Jyou, his nose an aching red, came up to me and invited me into their own volleyball game. I agreed, glad to have something else to think about.

"Don't worry about him, Koushiro," Yamato said quietly, gesturing at Taichi. "He's just an idiot."

Maybe so.

Despite my less than inept ability to play beach volleyball, I laughed as we hit the ball repetitiously over the net. Mimi and Sora join in the game, and we all giggled as the volleyball yet again made contact Jyou's unlucky face. Mimi helps him up from the sand, kissing him once more, to which Yamato gives a mock swoon.

The game ends as the as the sun sets, and the sky becomes a bright golden orange color. Sora and Mimi begin to gather all their belongings and shake the sand from their towels. Yamato and Jyou set to work taking down the volleyball net. I look around to see that Taichi and Yumi were nowhere to be found.

His red Toyota was gone. He left me. Again.

My blonde friend noted my disbelief and puts a hand on my shoulder. Under his breath he mutters, "Idiot," and shakes his head disapprovingly. "Come on, Koushiro. We'll give you a ride home. You are staying at your apartment tonight, right?"

"Correct," I reply, looking down at my sand-covered feet, beginning to feel as if they have acquired more weight. I gathered everything in his soccer bag, waved good-bye to Mimi and Jyou, and lumbered to Yamato's coupe, where Sora and Kenji were waiting in the passenger's seat. Once again, I had to sit in the back.

Nothing much was said between us, until we reached my apartment. In a way I was relieved that there was no conversation. That lump in my throat came back.

"All I can say, man," Yamato sighed, pulling his seat forward to let me out. "Talk to him."

I looked up at him, and my black eyes bore into his own blue ones. "Do you know what's bothering him?" He had to know. Other than myself, Yamato is the next person Taichi most confides in.

His gaze pierced mine, as if thinking. "No." I guess he didn't know. This closely resembles Hikari asking Taichi what was wrong when he came back late last night. Each time she received the same answer. A negative one. Like I was getting now.

I peered to the ground and took unwilling steps towards the stairs that led to my apartment.

"Good luck, Koushiro," Sora called sympathetically, as the engine started.

I didn't bother looking back, until I heard the coupe drive off in the distance. Each rising step got heavier and heavier as I neared my door.

Hesitation gripped me as I stared at the doorknob of my front door. I break free and turned it, allowing me entry.

Mother greets me from the kitchen. "Hi sweetie! How was the beach? Did Yumi enjoy it?"

I feign a smile. I didn't want her to see me upset. "Yeah, she did. We'll have to take her again sometime." I removed my sandals and saw that Taichi's sandals were among my parents' shoes.

"Taichi fell asleep on the sofa," my mother answered my unasked question. "He already fed Yumi and put her in her crib in your room." She paused. "He seems…tired, doesn't he?"

"Yes," I reply, keeping my eyes from hers. "He has been lately." I made my way to my friend resting on the sofa. He was curled up on the cushions, head resting on one of the pillows from my bed, eyes closed. "I guess he just didn't want to sleep on the floor tonight."

Maybe he came to my apartment to keep the pattern going and not worry my mother. Generous of him.

Resting on my bed, I decide that I shouldn't think on it too much.

Maybe Mimi was right. Maybe he was in one of his moods.

Hopefully.


	19. The Next Morning Izzy's POV

I woke up the next morning, despite a troublesome effort to fall asleep the night before. My eyes made their way toward the crib was positioned beside my bed.

Yumi was gone.

Was Tai awake? Was he sitting in the living room, feeding her or playing with her or simply watching television? Was he back to his normal self? Will I be expecting a cheerful punch in the shoulder as a good morning gesture?

My head hurt with all these questions, and I was becoming even more anxious by the second. Why did it seem so hard to get out of bed and walk to the main room all of a sudden? Come on, Koushiro, just plant your feet on the floor and go!

Peering out of my bedroom door, I saw my mother in the kitchen washing the dishes at the sink. I turned my head to the living room and found it like I felt, seeing it at that state. Empty. As well as the bathroom.

He had taken Yumi with him…

What was Taichi doing? Does he not realize that he was making me worry beyond belief? Since when did he not regard my own feelings? I was getting angry. I couldn't understand what I had possibly done to trigger his behavior.

I never knew he could be so insensitive…and I couldn't help but wonder why…

I had to know.

Without even saying good morning to my mother, I raced out the door, slipping my feet into a pair of black slippers on the way. I nearly stumbled coming down the long flight of stairs to the street.

Taichi's apartment was only two blocks away.

I sprinted.

At the Yagami's door, I couldn't get myself to knock the door, but after mentally hitting myself a few times, I did. I can't just leave ignoring me like this, can I? I'm his best friend.

Or at least I thought I was…

Hikari answered the door. "Hi Koushiro." She looked as if she had been expecting me. "Come in." She eyed me strangely. I looked and realized I was still in my sleeping clothes.

Had I suddenly become delirious? I just tore through two whole city blocks down the street in boxers and a white T-shirt and was at the front door of my friend's house.

I hoped he was still my friend…

From the entrance I saw Taichi's wild brown locks at the couch, sitting in front of a flashing television screen. I cautiously paced towards him.

"Tai?" I asked. My voice sounded hushed.

He didn't answer. My stomach lurched.

I repeated his name, a bit louder this time. He couldn't possibly ignore me now. I noticed Hikari looking off at the scene from the kitchen.

"What," he answered calmly. He sounded nonchalant, as if nothing was happening, as if he hadn't been acting strangely for the past forty-eight hours. As if he hadn't been brushing me off lately.

His brown eyes were not fixed at the images on the screen. They were looking at his hands resting on his lap.

From the corner of my eye I saw Yumi playing with a stuffed animal, one of Hikari's I'm guessing, on the floor beside the coffee table that separated the couch from the television.

She looked up from squeezing the toy and crawled towards me, giggling happily. I picked her up, and she snuggled in my T-shirt. The corners of my mouth turned upward. At least she hadn't changed one bit.

"I was just wondering if you were feeling better," I asked rather nervously. As hard as I tried, I couldn't cover up the slight stutter in my words. "You just left so early, I thought…"

"I'm fine Kou". His attention was still focused on his hands. "I'm…okay."

"Alright," I said hopefully. "Then, I'll just grab my stuff from home and come right back…"

"Actually," Tai interrupted, seemingly unscathed. "I think you should stay at your apartment tonight. I want to spend the day alone with Hikari. Yumi can stay here."

I couldn't believe it…did I hear right? I felt frozen. If I had moved an inch right there, my knees could have given out and my body would have collapsed.

"Oh," was all that could escape from my mouth for a few seconds. Seconds that felt like an eternity. I looked back at his sister, who had her eyes widened with an expression that can only be described as shocked. "I don't mind. I'll just be on my way then."

Using everything I could, I hid my hurt to give the impression of simply waving off his answer.

Yumi raised her head, her brown eyes, looking so much his own, piercing into mine, as I placed her back on the carpet.

I swiftly left the apartment, not bothering to say good-bye.

His voice still sounded untouched. Normal. This alone brought a wetness to my eyes.

Did he no longer want my friendship?

I guess not…

That wetness slowly trickled down my cheeks as my feet took small, slow steps back home.

I wanted my way back to take an eternity.


	20. Conversation with Hikari Tai's POV

I was still sitting on the couch minutes after I heard the closing of the door from Koushiro leaving. My gaze went upward at the ceiling, the TV still glowing on me, and I sighed loudly.

It hurt to say that to Kou.

But I had to. He's my best friend…

Small whimpers were heard over the television noise. Yumi began to cry. I hadn't heard her cry in so long. All that time she was with Kou. She felt a safety around him, I guess. I don't blame her.

Hikari rushed to comfort her with the stuffed bunny she had been playing with. She stopped crying, but traces of sadness still lingered on her face.

"Tai, what's your problem?" My sister looked over at me angrily. "Why have you been acting like this to Koushiro?" She stood up in front of me. I could feel her leering at me. It wasn't often that she confronted me. "I thought he was your best friend!"

"This doesn't concern you," I said, not looking up. I didn't want Hikari knowing, even if she was my sister.

Of course, we shared the same genes, so like me she had inherited a stubborn attitude. It was like the Ishida genes and their tendency to cause Yamato and Takeru to have random spasms of violence that could lead someone to a sore jaw.

That stubbornness was starting to kick in.

"Yes it does," she answered sharply. "Tai, I'm worried about you! You've been so quiet lately, especially around him. He's also my friend, and I don't want to see him hurt! Why did you want him to leave?"

"Because I did," I put it simply.

"Why?"

"I just don't want him here," I shrug my shoulders. I will not break.

Hikari sat down beside me and used both hands to turn my head, so that I was looking at her straight in the eyes. Her stare was grinding through mine, as if she could see right through me. Only she had this ability. And frankly, it scares me sometimes.

Like it was now at this moment.

"I know you aren't telling me the truth Tai," she said softly. "You aren't telling me or Koushiro the truth." Placing her hand on my shoulder, she gave me an all-knowing smile. "Please tell me what's wrong, Tai."

Her face was pleading.

My eyes shifted sideways, away from her stare.

"Do you want to hurt him Tai? Are you angry with him? Do you not want to be friends anymore? Do you just want to throw away his friendship…?"

"I don't!" I interjected. I couldn't stand it. My hands dug into my hair. "I don't. Okay?" I sighed. My sister squeezed my shoulder.

I hated that she could string information so easily from anyone. It wasn't fair.

"I care for him," my voice came out quietly. "A lot." Pause. "More than a lot." Another pause. "More than I should."

I had my face buried in my hands when I said this, and my words came out a bit muffled.

Hikari's hand slipped off my shoulder. "So you are…?"

"No," I said sharply, jerking my head up. "I." I breathed out loudly. "I don't know." That was the truth, too. I didn't know if I was or not. What I do know is that for the past couple of days I've been feeling light-headed around Kou, like I did when I had a crush on Sora a while ago.

I couldn't like him. He's my best friend. He's my total opposite. He's a guy…

"Tai," she spoke lightly. "If you really care about him," she chose her words carefully. I could tell. "Then why don't you just tell him? I'm sure he cares about you, too…"

"Yeah, but not like that!" I shot her a frantic glare. My temples were starting to hurt. Too much thinking. Or probably just the glare from the TV. Whatever it was, I needed to get out of the apartment. Rising from the couch, I slipped on my shoes and headed for the front door. "Hikari, take care of Yumi. I'm going out for something to eat…" My words were left hanging as I shut the door.

"But Tai…" my sister's voice began, which I barely heard through the closed door as I stared at my feet walking down the stairs.

I actually didn't know what I was thinking at that moment.

Or feeling…

Mimi is really pretty…why don't I just like her?

Wait…Jyou took her already…

Great. Just great. Where's a pillow when you really need to punch something?


	21. Yamato's Lecture Tai's POV

The next best thing if you don't happen to have a pillow to punch when you're confused or angry is kicking rocks around on the ground. Maybe that's what they were put on this world for. To kick around when you are frustrated about your good friend.

That and throwing them at people you don't like.

Or having them as pet rocks. Not that I ever had one. It only scares me to think that people would actually call a rock a pet.

My fists were jammed into my pockets as I paced down the street, eyes rested on the rocks my feet were once again going to send flying. I hadn't looked up ever since leaving my apartment.

Hell, I wasn't even sure where I was at this second. That was the very least of my worries, though.

I kicked the next rock as hard as I could, not thinking about where it might possibly land.

"Ouch! Dammit!" A familiar voice swore nearby. I looked up for the first time.

Yamato was rubbing his arm, holding a shopping bag filled with groceries. I'm guessing Sora had sent him on a trip to the store.

"You have to watch where you're hitting things, man." He raised his eyebrows, a pained expression. "Rocks hurt."

"Oh, sorry, dude," I smiled meekly, kicking my feet to the sidewalk. I tried to keep from looking directly at his face.

I wanted to avoid another talk, like I had with Hikari, especially on that certain topic.

But I noticed his face had softened.

Yeah, he's going to want to lecture.

"You can't hide anything, can you Taichi?" he smirked. "What did you do to him now?"

Damn him. Well, no. Scratch that. Damn me. I was the one stupid enough to tell him my problem that night I had walked out on Kou after school. Half of me was glad that Yamato happened to be there, running an errand for Sora to pick up diapers for Kenji. Half of me wished I had kept my mouth shut.

"You haven't even tried to do anything about this," he continued. "Have you?"

I frowned and didn't say anything.

"Why am I even asking?" he sighed and rolled his eyes. "Of course you didn't."

"I told him to stay at his place today," I muttered. My gaze hardened. It sent a stab inside me, somehow, to say it, because it really stabbed me to actually do it. I wanted to slap myself after saying that to Kou in my apartment. I did it mentally.

"And that's progress?" his voice broke. "Dumbass."

I didn't bother returning his insult. Maybe I was just that. A dumbass.

Yamato sat on the edge of the sidewalk facing the street. I followed him and reluctantly took my seat beside him. Something kept from leaving right there on the spot.

I could've, but I didn't.

We were quiet for a while, watching as cars passed by. Like Hikari, he was probably wondering what to say and how to say it.

I started. "Isn't Sora expecting you back?"

"Don't change the subject Taichi," Yamato snapped. His blue orbs were digging into my brown ones. They looked frustrated. How can he possibly be frustrated? He's not the one thinking oddly about his best friend. He's not having to avoid him to stop having confusing feelings stirring in the pit of his stomach. He's not feeling light-headed around a guy!

I didn't bother saying that to him, though. Knowing him and me, as well, we'd probably get into an argument that would end with a pair of bloody noses.

"Taichi," he sighed, looking at the shopping bag set in front of him. "I'm not going to force you to tell him."

Like I was going to let him anyway.

"But you have to talk to him somehow," Yamato said. "You can't avoid him forever."

I know I couldn't.

"He's one of us. He's one of your best friends," he continued, facing me fully. "Right?"

I didn't answer, but nodded my head a few inches. That's what I hated the most about this. We were so close, especially after coming back from the Digital Word.

Thinking back to more than five years ago, I remembered how Kou would always be buried in his laptop and asking questions about the Digital World and our purpose there. Always thinking and making complex theories. Hell, half the time he opened his mouth I didn't understand a large percentage of the words that came out of it.

But I respected him and trusted him. He got us out of all sorts of jams in the past and managed to figure out how to enter the Digital World from any computer so that Daisuke, Hikari, and the others were able to travel freely.

And he was strong. I couldn't imagine finding out that I was adopted. I know I'd be wallowing in my own sadness. But he didn't. He managed to live on and hide any pain he probably had very well. Kou was still happy.

He was somewhat amazing. To me, at least.

"You're going to lose him, Tai," Yamato warned, bringing me back to the present. "If you don't you do something. You do know that, right?"

"I know," I moaned, completely irked. Crossing my arms, I rest my chin on them. "I know. I just don't want to…care about him…like that…" My last words came out in a croaked whisper.

"But you do!" Yamato replied, raising his voice slightly. "And you can't help it if you do." He paused. "Hell, I used to like Jyou once, a while back!"

That caught me by surprise. I think my heart skipped a beat. I could feel my eyes widening to three times their size.

I didn't know whether to laugh my ass or promptly faint.

Yamato liking Jyou?

He probably noted my disbelief. "I'm serious." His face confirmed this. "Of course, I didn't do anything about it, but I'm kind of glad I didn't." He laughed. "Jyou is a bit too paranoid sometimes."

That's definitely putting it lightly.

I wonder what Yamato could have possibly seen in Jyou. Did he think he was good-looking or something? Do I think Kou is…good-looking…?

"But that doesn't matter, because of Sora…" he trailed off.

"Really?" I raised my eyebrow. A couple of years ago Yamato and Sora had started dating, and they looked like a signature pair. However, they decided to take some time off. Yamato had said that they thought simply being friends was better for them. And now they were stuck as partners for this baby project.

I had sensed it was going to happen, though. Them getting back together.

How perfect.

Yamato blushed a bit. "Yeah…but that's not the point!" He quickly shook off his red flush. "The point is that Koushiro is not paranoid like Jyou. You like being around him. He's your friend." He put a lot of emphasis on the last part.

But I was looking at him like a fish out of water. I still couldn't believe he had once liked Jyou…

What Yamato had just said to me made a lot of sense. But I didn't want any of it to make sense. My mind wasn't made up about it. I still needed time.

"Think about it, Taichi," he said, getting up, dusting off his pants. He coolly waved good-bye and walked off in the direction of Sora's apartment.

I wasn't about to return home just yet. Maybe I'll go down to the soccer field and kick a ball around for a bit. I haven't even set eyes on a soccer ball for ages.

Yamato called behind me as I began to walk in the opposite direction. "Tai!" What had he possibly have forgotten to say to me? He ran up to me, shopping bag still in hand. "About that Jyou thing." He narrowed his blue eyes and a light pinkness was spread across his cheeks. "You tell nothing to him or anyone." They narrowed even further. "Especially Daisuke."

I guess he hadn't forgotten about me saying that Daisuke had known about the Sex Ed. project, meaning Jun will know in no time.

I simply smirked. "Of course not."

And with one last glare Yamato turned around and walked away.

You know, this new information could be good for blackmailing him. I did really want that new CD he bought a couple of weeks ago…

Then again, he did have valuable blackmailing material on me, too.


	22. Monday Morning Week Two Izzy's POV

I was confused when I woke up in my own bed in my apartment when I should have been at Taichi's place. Then everything came back to me.

"Jyou?" I spoke into the telephone. "Hey, it's Koushiro."

"Oh, hey!" the voice on the other side answered cheerfully. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering," I began a bit nervously. "If it isn't a problem to you…"

"Yeah?" Jyou asked. He was abashed and wondering what I was possibly going to say.

"Well, if you wouldn't mind giving me a ride to school?"

"Oh!" he laughed brightly. "Is that it? Sure!" Then he stopped abruptly. "Don't you usually get to school with Taichi?"

I hesitated to answer, but I knew I had to speak. "Yeah, but he had to leave earlier this morning to run a few errands."

"Ah," said Jyou's voice. "Well, we'll pick you up in ten minutes then. Are you at Taichi's today?"

"Um…no. I'm at my apartment actually."

I'm betting his eyebrow rose at this. All of our friends knew our schedules for the project.

I responded to his question before he could ask it. "My parents wanted me home last night for…family game night…yeah…"

That was pretty lame. Especially since everybody knew that my kind of games were something along the lines of mathematical trivia. And let's just say my parents don't feel the same rush I do when I solve a complicated trigonometric function.

"Family game night?" Obviously my friend was thinking the exact same thing.

"Yeah…they wanted to try their hand at Scrabble." I tried to sound as convincing as I possibly could.

Sadly it wasn't working.

"Okay," he said slowly, after a few speechless moments. "We'll see you soon, then, Koushiro." He hung up.

I could have easily told him the truth. I really could have. But I just didn't have the capacity to explain to he or Mimi why I was not at Taichi's apartment, when we were supposed to be spending as much time together as possible with Yumi. Why?

Simply, because I had no idea what was wrong with my best friend.

A note on the kitchen table had told me that my mother had gone to the supermarket to pick up more eggs. I was a bit relieved; I didn't want to have her prodding at me, asking me why I had returned home. Yesterday, after taking the long way home to thoroughly dry the dampness in my eyes, I had curtly told her that Taichi had requested one night without my assistance to practice taking care of Yumi by himself.

What an inadequate excuse that was. I could tell. She stared at me with a worried expression from the kitchen and was about to say something, but stopped herself. She dismissed it, but not before giving me a long, hard look.

I immediately thought of Yumi. Was she okay? If she starts crying, will somebody be there to tend to her quickly?

What could I possibly be thinking? Of course she was okay! She was in proper handling. She was with Taichi. But he is acting strangely, even walking out of his apartment for the entire afternoon that one day. What if he did the same thing? What if Hikari was left to take care of her alone? Not that I have a concern with Hikari looking after Yumi, but…

I had to stop thinking. Hyperventilating was becoming a very strong possibility at this point. People say that I'm usually calm and don't ordinarily stress out very easily.

Why am I acting like this?

Maybe, because I've never encountered such a conflict with one of my good friends. Taichi was that, after all. A very good friend.

In only ten minutes, like I had been instructed, I was outside my apartment building just as Jyou's SUV was driving up towards me. Mimi could be seen in the passenger's seat with Sakura bouncing on her lap. The baby probably insisted on sitting with them in the front, much to Jyou's dismay. After all, he did think about safety and the well-being of others as his first priority, as always.

The SUV pulled up and Mimi waved an ecstatic "hello". I smiled faintly to acknowledge her greeting, before I loaded my backpack and laptop into the backseat and climbed into the vehicle.

We passed by Taichi's apartment complex. No sign of his red Toyota.

I knew Mimi was going to try to strike up conversation after this. And I knew, for certain, about what.

No way. I wasn't about to let her..

"So, you guys." My voice sounded a bit exasperated. "How's it going with Sakura? Still won't give back the glasses?"

Casual, Koushiro. Casual.

In the rearview mirror Jyou groaned and rolled his eyes. He smiled nonetheless. "What do you think?" He raised an eyebrow.

Sakura giggled, and I saw that, indeed, the overgrown glasses were still resting uneasily on the tip of her nose.

"Oh, Jyou," Mimi piped, the young bluette playing with a pink rattle in her lap. "It's not like you can have them back. She adores them!" She beamed, tickling her baby, who responded with a mirthful titter. "Besides, those look fine on you!"

"They squeak!" he retorted, trying to keep his vision concentrated on the road. "I can't even focus in biology or any other class!" He was sounding more and more like the Jyou of five years ago. "People look at me funny!"

With that, Sakura climbed out of the girl's lap and carefully into that of her "father's". She slowly stood up to tug a lock of his chin-length hair. I saw a red blush appear across his cheeks.

"Mimi!" he nearly shrieked. "Do you mind? I'm driving!" I hoped he wasn't going to have some sort of breathing attack.

Leave it to Jyou to react much more than he should.

"Awww!" She clasped her hands together. "She really likes you!" Sakura was pulled back into her lap. "Don't you sweetie?"

My older friend's face was now red all the way to his blue roots.

"Okay!" he said loudly, almost desperately. "We're here!" He pulled into the parking lot behind the school building.

Good. I had avoided discussing the subject successfully and managed to witness an amusing scene.

Koushiro, maybe you really are a genius.

We poured out of the SUV, Jyou with their baby bag slung over his shoulder, book bag on the other. Mimi latched to his arm, holding Sakura now lying in her basket. My blue-haired friend was still red-faced.

They waved good-bye to me at entering the building, going our separate ways, as I slowly paced to my Lit. Studies classroom.

Where Taichi would be. And Yamato. Sitting in the back of the room together most likely.

Actually, now that I think about it, they've been spending a lot of time together. Very recently. Over the past few days.

Wait…didn't Yamato say he had no idea what was going on with Taichi?

I didn't have time to ponder this, because before I knew it I had stepped inside my classroom. The murmur of voices all around the room had awakened me from my thoughts.

I spotted the shock of brown hair next to carefully groomed blond hair (at least the most groomed it has been in the last week) in the last row in the back of the room. I stood in my position under the doorway, looking downward. What do I do now…?

"Kou! Dude!"

What?

"We saved a spot for you!" that familiar voice called cheerfully. "Over here!"

Okay, that voice definitely did not belong to Yamato. Was it actually…?

I looked up and saw Taichi's face carrying that goofy smile directed at me. Did I hear right? He did say my name, correct? His nickname for me…

What a qualm this was. Wasn't he even refusing to see me just a couple of days ago? Now, here he was, inviting me to sit with him, as if nothing had ever occurred.

Nonetheless, I smiled and took my seat beside my best friend. I was happy to see that Yumi was sucking gently on her thumb in her basket beside his desk. She giggled as soon as she saw me settle my things on the floor.

So he was back to his normal Taichi self.

At least I think.


	23. On the Way to Health Izzy's POV

The rest of the morning went on without any problems. No sudden outbursts of silence from Taichi. His mouth was twisted into that friendly grin, just like it should be.

Yamato conducted a little game of paper soccer on his desk during a lecture from our history teacher near the back of the room. Sadly, there are much more interesting things in life than how America's Great Depression affected the rest of the world's economy and led us to have tension before the second world war because of their cutting off oil from us. Much more interesting things. Like if I was able to flick the paper wad to the goal line at the edge of the desk.

We didn't get caught, even when I accidentally sent the notebook paper wad whizzing across the desk right into the forehead of a classmate beside us.

She merely glared and groaned and went back to doodling in her notebook.

This teacher was one of those that gave lectures, yet didn't seem to notice the boredom of his students, including the common few that tended to leave a pool of saliva on their desks by the time the bell rang, signaling the end of the tedious hour.

He couldn't even detect an active game of paper soccer, in which Taichi triumphantly defeated us, complete with a victory shout. To this the teacher only reacted with a slight turn of his neck over his shoulder.

"Yes, Mr. Yagami, I'm sure we should all get excited about how America's cut-off of our oil nearly killed our rise to power. Now, please sit down."

Sure, my friend obeyed, but that didn't stop him from rolling up another ball of ripped notebook paper.

After class was dismissed we headed to Health class, on the way meeting up with Jyou, Mimi and Sora, along with Kenji and Sakura. The little bluette was playing with Jyou's confiscated glasses, while the young boy sported a gelled-haired look. Yamato had spawned a clone of himself.

"So, you guys stopped fighting?" Mimi chimed as we walked towards the end of the hallway. I guess she was directing this question towards Taichi and I, because she was awaiting an answer.

Tai looked in her direction and raised an eyebrow. "We were never fighting," he said, with almost a hint of indignation in his voice.

I was about to respond to his answer and say that indeed, we have stopped, but I kept myself from saying anything. We actually never were really fighting in the first place. No arguments whatsoever.

Just a period of silence.

Mimi kept probing. "But you've been acting a little funny around Koushiro, Tai, and it looked like…"

"He had to take care of some things," Yamato interrupted rather bluntly. "He was just…thinking…right, Tai?"

"Exactly!" he said, almost with relief from any discomfort or nervousness he might have felt, placing a hand behind his head.

The pink-haired girl didn't look as if she was satisfied, but she dropped the subject. The words were abandoned in the hallway.

But not so by me.

I thought Yamato didn't know…


	24. Ms Nakamura's Surprise Izzy's POV

The Health classroom was filling up as we had stepped inside and headed to our respective pairs of desks. Ms. Namakura was sitting calmly at her desk, waiting patiently for our classmates to settle down and quiet themselves.

Why didn't she just save the trouble and rap a ruler on the chalkboard to get their attention?

"I really hope we get an actual class today," I whispered, leaning towards Taichi.

"Are you kidding?" he asked, incredulously. "I was actually getting used to the idea of sitting around and _not_ doing schoolwork."

All week last week Ms. Nakamura hadn't been doing formal lessons. This period was usually spent "bonding" with our babies with questions being asked about feeding or clothes changing and whatnot.

Of course, there wouldn't be any questions if people had just read the book, like they were supposed to. Am I the only one who did?

The murmur of voices gradually died down, all eyes facing our composed teacher sitting good-naturedly with her hands folded on her lap.

"Congratulations!" she broke the momentary silence, clasping her hands together. "You've all completed your first week of actual parenting!" She looked positively glowing, ecstatic that her new idea this year was becoming a success. "I'm sure most of you had fun exploring the parenthood experience this weekend."

Emphasis on the word "most".

Ms. Nakamura continued. "I'm pleased to announce that you will all be receiving a special treat at the end of the week, honoring the end of this experience." There was a rustling of desks and chairs as people leaned in to hear this "treat". "I have organized a little party on Saturday evening for all your hard work and commitment to this project."

Explosive cheers filled the room. Girls were chatting excitedly. Boys were almost performing a victory chant.

Jyou, however, was looking rather pale as he was looking sideways at his partner, who was giggling felicitously with Sora sitting two seats behind her. Sakura, in her basket resting on his desk, was laughing and pointing a small finger at him.

Friday night equals eternal trip to the mall.

I pity Jyou.

"Alright!" Taichi shouted beside me, punching a fist upward into the air. Just saying he liked parties was a complete understatement. As for me, however, let's just say I enjoy them to an extent and only on the condition that my friends were invited and present. Any other way, and I'd rather be checking my e-mail and chatting with friends online.

This party happened to fit all those conditions. Good.

Ms. Nakamura's voice was raised over the commotion in the previously quiet classroom. "It will be held on the beach just a couple blocks west from the school. I will be expecting for your babies to be in excellent condition to be bidden farewell that night. Paperwork will be collected Friday."

This meant that we all had the babies for another day. Another night. A significant portion of the male population stopped cheering at hearing this statement.

In front of us Yamato turned around and whispered angrily. "Another day of band practice lost!"

He really has to learn to look on the positive perspective of situations. One more day with Kenji means one more day away from Jun.

The teacher still had more. "Assigned pairs will come as dates to the party in honor of having together been the babies' parents for the past two weeks."

She stopped and looked at Taichi and I, who both looked absolutely mortified at the idea. "Of course, if you wish to select another classmate as your date for this occasion, you may certainly do so."

Tai sighed audibly. A red tinge was masking his normal brown tone.

Yamato flashed a glare at Taichi over his shoulder. I barely caught sight of it. He must have seen it as well; he was now sitting quietly, eyes intent on his fidgeting hands on the desk. Was Yamato jealous that Taichi might possibly consider asking Sora?

I ponder this for a moment. With Tai being the way he is, it seemed highly illogical. It was known that Yamato and Sora were beginning to rekindle their feelings, especially this last week. He would never deliberately go after her. Besides, Ms. Nakamura had wanted the assigned pairs to go as dates. Even if he was thinking of asking Sora, he wouldn't be able to.

Now I'm wondering what the glare was for.

Maybe it wasn't anything at all. Maybe it was just some form of communication between the two.

Maybe Taichi is right. Maybe I do think things through too much.

"Now that that's settled," Ms. Nakamura began. "Let's begin class, shall we? I actually have a lesson planned for today!" She beamed, standing up from her swivel chair, ignoring the groans exuding from her students.

Am I the only one content with this change in plans?

"Now everybody take out your textbooks and turn to page 364," she said over the rustling of backpacks and books. "For the next few days, we'll be discussing sexually transmitted diseases and contraception."

And now I wish that we were actually sitting around, _not_ doing anything, like Taichi had wanted. Behind me I heard Jyou's strangled choke, followed by Yamato's snicker in response.

A warmth crept upon my face as I turned to a clear page in my notebook, ready to take some notes on the upcoming lecture. I really didn't want to be listening to this.

Ms. Nakamura proceeded with the discussion, scrutinizing every uncomfortable and graphic detail. A few times Jyou's soft, nervous whimper could be audible in the starkly silent room.

I couldn't blame him. I could feel my face getting more flushed by the minute.

Every student sitting in this room was discombobulated to the point where there wasn't even a trace of an obnoxious snort from anyone in the back of the room when the teacher said the word "penis".

And she had to show us overhead slides that certainly weren't classroom appropriate, such as the wonderful illustration of how a diaphragm functions inside a woman. Was she even allowed to be displaying those kinds of pictures with infants present in the room?

I looked down at the basket resting beside my feet. Yumi was staring up at the obscene picture enlarged on the front wall by the overhead, eyes widened and a dribble of saliva slowly streaming out from the corner out her mouth.

This would be good grounds for her parents to sue the school when they get her back.

As I was gliding my pencil furiously across the page, I saw Taichi looking sideways at me intently from the corner of my eye.

I faced him. "What."

"Wha…?" He was in a daze.

"There must be something wrong with my face," I whispered. "If you're staring at it so much. Is there some sort of abnormal growth on my nose that I should know about?"

He seemed to shake out of his stupor; he blinked his eyes several times. His voice trembled a bit. "Oh no! I was just looking at that over there." His finger pointed past my face, and I turned my head to see what had made him so mesmerized.

…

I never thought a poster of the female reproduction system would be so intriguing.

Turning back at him, I raised an eyebrow. A pinkness came to his cheeks. He laughed nervously, quickly forcing his eyes back on Ms. Nakamura in the front.

That was a bit odd. Maybe he caught sight of an attractive girl. The last time I remember seeing him stare like that was when he had feelings for Sora.

I shook it off and returned to my note taking. At the end of the grueling lecture, we all piled out of the classroom, baskets in hand, our little hopes for reproducing sometime in the near future crushed to the ground in those last forty-five minutes.

And for the rest of the day Jyou had a slight twitch in his right eye.


	25. The Plan Tai's POV

Dammit! After I had vowed to not think of him that way, I still go and stare at him like a complete idiot! I wanted to bang my head against a wall, or something.

Not that I can do that right about now.

I was lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling in the dimness of Kou's bedroom. He was sleeping soundly in his bed, his breathing rhythm the same as Yumi's laying in the crib at the end of the bed.

I had decided that avoiding Koushiro was no longer an option. Yamato was right. I could probably lose his friendship, and I really didn't want that.

Wow. I actually said that Yamato was _right_.

So now here I am, back on speaking terms with Kou, forcing my stupid feelings back into the deepest part of my mind. I was hoping they wouldn't come back out anytime soon.

And yet there I was staring at him during class.

I'm such a dumbass.

I have to find something to take my mind off Kou. Didn't Nakamura say something about a party Saturday night? We had to have our partners as "dates".

But she gave me and Koushiro special permission to find another girl as a date.

I looked through the blinds above the bed and saw the dark night sky illuminated by a slight half moon. It must be past midnight, meaning it was Tuesday. Meaning I have about four days to find a girl to take to the party.

And Kou will be pushed out of my head for the rest of the project.

Hey, I can do that! I'm Taichi, I'm captain of the soccer team! There are probably plenty of girls who would want a date with me!

Plus, with Yumi around, who would refuse? Girls love babies, right?


	26. Why You Should be Afraid of Girls' Socce

"No way! All you'd talk about is soccer!"

"But Haruka…!" my voice tried to chase after her down the hallway, but disappeared among the others chattering all around. In my hand I was clasping tightly to Yumi's basket, the baby girl inside with her green dress on. I had asked Hikari a special request to fix Yumi's hair, which she happily agreed to, seeing that I had stopped my silence towards Kou.

I didn't say why I needed her hair styled, though. I was smart enough not to.

Hikari would tell me I should go with Kou to the party, then refuse to even comb the baby. And then I don't know anything about hairspray and gel. That's Yamato's area of expertise.

Besides, I wouldn't even dream of asking him of such a thing. I didn't want Yumi to suffocate from too much hair gel.

So now, her auburn hair was curled into two low pigtails, the ends of the loose curls barely brushing the nape of her neck, complete with shiny pink hair ribbon. She looked perfect.

But apparently, girls don't seem to fall too easily for the cute baby card, which I found with the eight, or so, girls I asked throughout the school day. I was sure that my strategy would work. What could possibly be wrong with it? I mean, if a guy wants to ask some cute girl out and notices that she happened to be a rabid dog lover, he'd lure her in with a puppy. And it would work, right? So what was wrong now? Don't girls love babies?

"Well, Tai, she's got a point," Kou was beside me, saying thoughtfully. "You do tend to talk a lot about soccer. And most of the female population do not agree that soccer is an enjoyable and engaging topic of discussion."

I turn back at him and pout. "I do not! Have I even mentioned soccer this last week?"

"Your mind was too preoccupied with Yumi's care to be thinking it," he shrugged his shoulders.

Oh Kou, it was definitely preoccupied. And you would certainly be surprised if you knew just what happened to be going on in there.

"I meant," he continued. "The time before this project was assigned and most likely after the end of it."

I groaned. He was right, though. Half the time I have the game stuck in my head, thinking up tactics and plays, wondering about the next World Cup.

The only other girl I know that likes soccer is Sora, even if she did take up tennis. And she's definitely out of the question. Yamato's got her.

Damn him.

"So who is your next candidate?" asked Koushiro, beside me. We were outside, taking the long way around to the parking lot, past the playing fields.

"I have no idea," I said, defeated. I ran through a list of girls in my head. Most were taken by some scary boyfriend or have some sort of grudge against me, which totally surprised me. What would people have against me?

"Well, for one thing, you're Taichi," Yamato had told me when I asked him later on. I pushed him for that.

Then, a thought came into my head. I looked over at Kou, who was lifting Yumi from the basket. "Kou," I began. "Aren't you going to look for a date for Saturday?"

He was suddenly silent and his partly hidden face was turning into an interesting shade of pink.

"Ummm…I-I…" he stuttered. He took a few seconds to compose himself and settle his head. Then he looked steady. And then he continued. "I haven't yet found a suitable person as an escort for that kind of occasion."

"Well, you can ask anyone just for fun," I said as if that was probably the most obvious thing to do.

I snickered inwardly to myself. _I'm such a hypocrite._

"Tai," he looked at me, Yumi snuggling into his green blazer. "I'm reserving that kind of event for someone I believe to be special." He paused for a second. "Someone I have feelings for." A blush. "I hope that didn't sound stupid or anything."

"No!" I said quickly, stopping in my tracks to reassure him. "Of course not, Kou." I placed a hand on his hunched shoulder, which sent a peculiar pinch in the pit of my stomach, and said nothing for a moment.

"What about Miyako?" I smirked, and then gave him one of my smart-ass grins.

His reaction was worth saying that. His black eyes widened to probably twice their size. If it were possible for his face to get any paler, then it certainly did just that. His bottom lip dropped.

"Taichi!" he nearly yelled. Yumi laughed and clapped her hands together. "I merely like her as a friend! Nothing more!"

"Fine, fine," I laughed, waving my hand at him, as I strode past him. He was huffing, the normal light peach color returning to his cheeks. Yumi was held tighter to his chest, as he took a few steps following me close behind.

I never thought Kou would be so touchy about this.

Sure, he was my best friend, but it's not like we sit around talking about our love lives. I mean, he knew about the time I liked Sora for those few months, but I wasn't gushing to him about it. I think the closest thing we've come to that was when I dragged Kou to the beach sometime last summer so I could have a partner in ogling chicks in bikinis with. Kou didn't really say much either. Whenever I made a guy comment he would blush and quickly nod his head. The only thing I got out of him that day was a mumbled remark about one of the girls being "cute".

Somebody would probably agree with me that he needed to get laid.

Not by me, of course.

…

Okay, not a good thought.

I felt a slight flush come to my cheeks, a heat rising at that horribly misplaced notion. And there was this sudden tingle that was felt _way_ lower than it should have.

Must kick thought out of head. I really hope Kou doesn't see any sign of the redness in my face.

"I think I'll probably end up going alone." He had calmed down and was looking at me with those limitless dark eyes of his. "If you're going to find a date."

"If I do find one," I pointed out, stopping in mid step, causing my friend to nearly crash into me from behind. "Which I will!" I turned around to meet his gaze.

I was confident that I could. I had to.

"I'm not in any way doubting that you will, Tai," he raised an eyebrow. I was about to reply, but I noticed something past Kou's face. The playing field. Soccer. Girls' soccer.

That's it!

I ran past Kou, but not without plucking Yumi in her ribbon-clad pigtails out of a perplexed Koushiro's arms. He shouted my name behind me, and I looked back at him, my legs taking me forward across the field. He was running towards me, trying to catch up. I merely smirked and continued on.

"Tai! Wait up!" came his shouts. "Did you just explode a brain cell or something? Wait!"

I didn't obey, though. Sprinting across the filed, Yumi bouncing in my arms with her dress flowing from the air blowing against my rushing figure, I cock my head around looking for my objective.

I was pretty sure the girls' soccer team practiced at the far end of the playing field at around this time after school…don't ask me why I know that…

Then I spotted them. Practicing drills, kicking the soccer ball around a line of cones.

Oh, what I would give to just kick that ball and get drawn back into the game for just a minute…

But that's not why I just raced here.

I slowed down my steps and came to a complete stop to set up my plan before I went in. A few seconds later Kou came to my side, panting hard. As one can see he wasn't the most athletic person, him being president of the Computer Club and all.

"Next time you plan to sprint off like that," he breathed out. "Warn me, okay?" I nodded in response. "What on earth made you run like that?"

"Kou, I've got a plan, so hear me out," I announced, proud of my sudden stroke of genius.

"A plan?" he sounded apprehensive. "Tai, I hope this doesn't involve stealing undergarments…does it?"

And good memories came back from a wonderful game of Truth or Dare from a couple of months ago. I could still see Jyou's paled face as he was forced to bring back three pairs of girls' bras from an undercover mission at one of Sora and Mimi's big slumber parties. Kou had been his unfortunate accomplice. They succeeded, all right, but brought back battle scars, including a bruise on the back of Jyou's shoulder that faintly resembled the bottom of a spiked heel shoe. Yamato and I had a good laugh from that.

I still wonder how we got Kou to secretly crash a party and steal girls' bras. Or even how we got Jyou to touch them, for that matter.

However, both of them got back at us with a vengeance. Let's just say it's not fun having to go door-to-door through the apartment building in a pinned diaper asking if people have seen your Mr. Bun-Bun.

Especially if pictures were taken without you knowing and were distributed all over the school the next day…

"No, don't worry Kou," I said. "You're not involved. You'll just be good for moral support."

"Sounds reasonable, I suppose." He looked visibly relieved. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to get a date for that party."

"With one of the girls from the female soccer team?" Both his eyebrows rose at his asking.

"Exactly! They like soccer, right? It's something in common! And besides," I puff out my chest. "I don't think they'll turn down a date with the captain of the champion boys' soccer team."

Kou only looked at me with an expression that can only be described as unconvinced.

"Plus, I can always play the cute baby card, right?" I held up Yumi, who was smiling cheerfully at my partner. "Just watch and learn Kou."

Before he could answer I laid my shoulders back, the baby girl lying in my arms looking back at the redhead with a confused glint in her brown eyes. I made my way forward towards the team of practicing girls.

Finally I found a solution to my problems about Kou! I can find a girl and forget that this whole strange-attraction-to-my-best-friend thing had ever happened.

Sure, Hikari and Yamato will probably be ticked off at me for my choice in tactics, but who are they to think they have a say in my love life? It's my decision, right? And I have decided that keeping Kou as a friend and thinking of him only as a friend will be best. For me and for him.

…

So why did I feel weird and out-of place all of a sudden?

I am doing the right thing, right? A guy should not fall for his male best friend. It's not natural.

But…

No! Of course not! What are you thinking Taichi? This is final! This is what you want!

"Hey girls!" I grinned and waved, approaching them with as much charm and charisma and confidence as I could muster. "How's practice going?" They all looked up from their drills. "Getting ready for an upcoming game I see!"

That was the best I could come up with? I probably sounded like a complete ass. That was confirmed by the raised eyebrows I was getting from each girl dressed in jersey and shorts.

"Taichi?" said a girl I recognized as Machiko. She was in my trigonometry class, I think. "What are you doing here?" She looked at Yumi in my arms. "And with your baby."

"I know! Isn't she cute? Yumi, wave 'hi' to the pretty girls!" She didn't wave, but she gave a soft smile. There were some croons and light squeals among the group of soccer players standing opposite of me. Good, this is going pretty well!

Others, however, including Machiko, weren't really buying into it.

"What do you want Taichi?" she demanded, her hands on her hips. "Can't you see we have to practice?"

I flinched at the not-exactly-happy tone in her voice. Maybe this won't be as easy as I thought.

But I continued anyway. "I was just wondering if you guys have heard about that party that Ms. Nakamura is throwing this Saturday for the Sex Ed. class for the end of the baby project." I placed a hand behind my head.

Of course they had. News travels around school like lightning. I remember once a guy threw up in the middle of chemistry last year. That same day everybody and their mother knew about the stomach sickness. The poor guy had to endure two full weeks of name-calling and being laughed at.

That's the scary thing about high school. Everybody knows everything about you and you don't even know it.

And that's why I have been thanking God everyday for the past week that nobody, except for Yamato, has the slightest idea that Taichi Yagami's stomach does somersaults at the mere sight of Koushiro Izumi.

"Yeah, what about it?" she tilted her head to one side. "I heard that partners had to go as dates together."

"That's right," I laughed nervously. "But Ms. Nakamura gave us special permission to find different dates."

"Special permission to 'us'?" Machiko further pried. "Who's 'us'?"

Does she have to ask so many questions? "Me and Koushiro," I replied. "She let us find another person to take Saturday."

"Oh yeah, you were paired with him, weren't you?" she smiled, letting a slight giggle escape. A few of her teammates tried to cover up their faces of amusement. Oh come on! Was it really that funny?

"And now you want to ask one of us to be your date?"

"Well, yeah, actually," I grinned sheepishly. "What do you guys think?"

She seemed to have a cheeky smirk. It just twisted onto her face. "Sorry to have to say this, Taichi," she almost laughed. "But we're all going to Tokyo for a soccer tournament this weekend."

I face faulted. They can't be serious!

"Why don't you just go with Koushiro?" she asked as if that were the simplest solution.

"Because he's not my date!" I blurted. Again that warmth came up.

"She doesn't mean as dates," another girl cut in. "As friends!"

"I can't," I mumbled, looking at the grass, kicking my shoe against the soft dirt.

"And why not?" the same girl piped, a soccer ball in her hands. "It would be better for the baby, you know. You two, taking her together."

"I just can't, okay?" I said, my voice rising with each word. I knew I could simply take Kou as a friend. We're partners after all. But I couldn't. I wanted to get rid of these feelings. And if I went with Kou, that would be considered a date according to the party's standards. That wouldn't exactly be helping my decision of completely stopping from looking at him in that particular way.

My thoughts about him were beginning to wander as it is. Just a few minutes ago I had envisioned myself jumping him…and…well…ack! See, that's why I need a date that's not Koushiro!

"Don't tell me it's one of those macho things," Machiko shook her head. Some of the other girls had snickered and rolled their eyes in agreement. She shrugged her shoulders. "Besides, it's not like you like him or anything, right?" She laughed at the seeming absurdity of what she just said.

Of, if only she knew. I was just hoping to God that my face wasn't radiating red.

"I don't like him!" I exploded, Yumi looking up at me in surprise. "Koushiro's my friend! I just want a date!" I paused. "A girl date!"

The entire girls' soccer team was frozen in front of me. All of them looked absolutely stupefied. Each pair of eyebrows was raised higher than ever before.

Machiko was the first to break the silence. "I never said you did like him, Taichi! I'm just…"

"I like girls! I have to bring a bring a girl date!" I was almost hysterical at this point. I had to justify my liking of girls somehow! "I like looking at big chests, okay!" I stopped. My eyes widened to what I just said. My body felt stiff.

That was my justification?

What I saw opposite of me wasn't in any way a pretty sight.

Machiko was fuming, along with the rest of the team. Their fists were clenched and shaking.

I plastered a dinky nervous smile on my face and slowly creaked my head towards Kou. Nice expression on his face. Eyes extremely widened, bottom lip hanging the lowest it can possibly hang. Probably thinking, "What the hell just came out of his mouth?"

I whipped my head back around only to see Machiko and the horde of girls stalking towards me, all red in the face. They looked about ready to dismember anything in their paths. And I happened to right in the middle of it.

"Really Taichi," their leader growled. She sounded like she demanded blood. That was my cue to run. Fast.

I bolted in the opposite direction, Yumi still baffled in my arms. The soccer team didn't seem to care that their target was holding a baby girl. As I ran past Kou I grabbed his wrist and half-dragged him across the field towards the parking lot.

"Tai, what…" he shouted behind me. He was still stunned.

But I cut him off. "Not now Kou! There's a mob of angry girls after us! And they're soccer players! They run fast!"

"You mean they're all after you!" he corrected me, and I tugged his wrist even harder. I hoped that he stumbled just a little.

A ball slammed into the ground just inches away from us. A soccer ball. They weren't doing what I think they were doing, were they?

Another ball crashing near us answered my question.

"Run faster, Kou!" I yelled, pumping my own legs, gripping Yumi harder in my arm, as well as my friend with my other hand.

We raced to the parking lot, which now seemed a hundred miles away. I thanked God multiple times when we stepped onto the concrete, away from the grass.

When we reached my Toyota I desperately handed the baby girl to Kou and fumbled for my keys. Why is it that when you're in a hurry, you always seem to use the wrong key for the car door? I heard the door click as it unlocked, and I yanked it open, hurling my backpack into the backseat. My partner jumped into the passenger's seat, not bothering to buckle Yumi into her car seat.

I didn't care at that point. I didn't want to die.

As I maneuvered the car out of the space, a thump was heard from the side of my Toyota. Now, they weren't that psycho, were they?

Apparently they were, because two more thumps were heard from the side of the car before totally pulling out of the lot. That's just great. Now there are going to be three lovely dents on my already crappy Toyota.

I kept my eyes on the road, heading towards my apartment complex. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to face that playing field. And I'm on the freaking soccer team! I just don't want to one day mysteriously disappear on the way to class.

"So, Tai," Kou turned to me, letting Yumi curl up into his blazer. "What were you saying about me learning something about getting a date? Because you _are_ the master and all…"

I punched his shoulder, which he rubbed, laughing. "Shut up."


	27. My God I updated

It was Wednesday afternoon, halfway through the week, until the Saturday night beach party. I was glad that I had decided beforehand not to take a date to the occasion. Spending the time with my friends sounded much more appealing than with another girl whom I'm not very acquainted with. That's why I thought it was a good idea to go as friends with Taichi as Machiko had suggested the day before. That is, before she and her teammates turned suddenly homicidal on us.

I don't know what Taichi's problem is with that proposal. I can't help but wonder if it might be the notion of two boys going together to a party with a baby. The whole thing wouldn't be suggesting anything, especially since we would be going as friends. You'd think you would leave those kinds of thoughts and worries behind in middle school, where one would instantly think that you were dating someone if your hand so much as touched someone else's.

Every pair going to this party, now that I think about it, aren't actually "dates". They are going together simply because of this project and because Ms. Nakamura had instructed them to.

So why would Taichi be so desperate as to be looking absolutely everywhere for a girl who would be willing to accompany him as a date?

Again I'm asking so many questions. But others would also agree that his behavior was quite strange, especially after we had arrived at his apartment from narrowly escaping death by soccer ball in the playing field.

Hikari was home, just ending a conversation on the phone, with Takeru I presume, when we had entered the apartment. She greeted us happily, picking up Yumi and embracing her, beaming. The baby girl hugged back lightly.

Yumi was beginning to really like Hikari, which is good, because she is need of some female contact, especially since she lacks a "mother".

Jokingly, I had told Taichi's sister my account of her brother's outburst in front of the girl's soccer team. However, when I was going to speak he elbowed me discretely in the ribs. I glared, facing him, and saw that his eyes were widened, an expression undoubtedly trying to give me the message "don't tell her".

But why not? It's not going to stay a secret, is it? Everybody at school will know in the next couple of days, so why would telling his own sister be such a problem?

I shook him off and returned to telling Hikari everything. But I didn't get the reaction I thought I would from her. The complete opposite, actually. She was staring icily at Taichi. And frankly, the look frightened me.

I had turned my head sideways and saw that Taichi held an expression of guilt and a blush stained his cheeks. Had I just missed something?

Apparently.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn, Taichi?" she had seethed, setting Yumi on the living room floor beside a pile of stuffed animals and toys.

Taichi merely grunted in response and averted his eyes from Hikari's blazing ones.

At that point I had been pretty sure I had missed something.

"What's wrong?" I had said. I never thought that Hikari would be so upset about her brother asking some girls to be his date. And I thought Taichi was a bit too overprotective…

"Nothing," Tai replied quickly. "C'mon, Kou. We should go work on that history project." Now, that was a bit out of character. Usually he would disregard a large project or report until the night before it was due. This was assigned just yesterday and wasn't due for another two weeks. Blinking, I followed him into his bedroom, leaving Hikari shaking her head disapprovingly.

I wanted an explanation.

"Oh, she probably had a crappy day at school," he grinned, slightly looking away from my questioning gaze. "She's been complaining about this supposedly bitchy girl in her math class for the past few days." The incident wasn't brought up again, but Hikari frowned at her brother for the rest of the evening.

So, now here we are, in the park, taking Yumi for a walk. Miyako had suggested it after school today when I had stopped by the computer lab to check how she was handling her temporary position as president. But not before lecturing me on how Tai and I should take Yumi outside more.

Iori, who was also in the lab (I'm guessing his grandfather had given him the day off from after-school kendo lessons), gave me a look of pure pity as I endured Miyako's accusing finger pointing and yelling. I have to wonder sometimes how on earth Iori can handle her hot-headedness, especially when he seemed to spend a lot of time with her.

"I'm just glad I'm not Daisuke," he had put it simply. Good point. Miyako and Daisuke's personalities don't always mesh well together…

"Hey Kou,'' Tai poked my shoulder, then pointed to Yumi sitting in the stroller he was pushing. "I think she wants up."

Indeed Yumi had her arms outstretched, giving me that same look with the big brown eyes that had cajoled Taichi and I into sticking another action film into the VCR that night last week. The one I couldn't possibly refuse.

I lifted her up and tickled her stomach. Tai removed her baseball cap covering her auburn locks and gently ruffled the feathery strands.

"You think she likes me Kou?" he rubbed his finger lightly across her cheek.

"I don't see how she wouldn't. Why wouldn't she?"

"She just seems to like you more, you know?" His eyes were soft towards the baby, and they were filled with an emotion I couldn't quite put my finger on. "And she always gets calm when you're holding her."

Who would have thought that Taichi Yagami would get worried whether or not a baby girl is fond of him? What usually goes through his mind runs along the lines of soccer, girls, and more soccer.

"Jealous, are we, Tai?" I clutch the baby closer to me and turn away from him a little.

"No!" I caught a glimpse of him blushing. "I'm just saying! She's all smiles around you, Kou."

I looked thoughtfully at Yumi. I hadn't really put much thought into all her attentions towards me. "Do you think maybe I resemble someone she knows?" We came across a large tree with a suitable amount of shade, where we sit down for a break.

"Well, that's what brings me to my next point." He propped himself on his elbows, stretching his legs, facing upwards to observe the leaves rustling gently. "How did Nakamura get a hold of these babies?"

Yumi was beginning to crawl around the area, finding a dandelion in the grass, pulling the stem and softly touching the golden blossom. The baseball cap she had been wearing, slid off, revealing her untied red-tinted hair.

Hikari hadn't styled it today. She might still be upset with Tai about that issue only known between them.

"She might have gotten a few couples to lend their child for this class for educational purposes," I offered an explanation, lying on the grass, my arms behind my head. "I can only imagine they were about our age, teenagers who would probably want to be free of this kind of responsibility for awhile." I paused. "Probably gave them something in exchange."

"Like a cruise, or something," Tai looked over at me. "I can totally see a couple giving up a baby for two weeks for a long cruise." He grinned broadly. "If I had to take care of a baby for more than two weeks, I'd try to find any excuse for a break!"

I chuckled lightly, taking in the fresh scents around me. That definitely sounds like something Taichi would say. Always expecting play before work, especially now that our adventures in the Digital World have come to a close.

"Yeah, they must have been pretty desperate, if they gave up their own children to teenagers for two weeks."

"I'm kind of glad they did, though," I said, facing him, then motioning towards the little girl playing near our feet.

The corners of Taichi's mouth turned up just a bit.

I stretched my limbs, closing my eyes to take in the warmth of the day. The muscles in my arms and legs finally felt satisfied, and I sprawled my body on the grass.

My eyes opened to look directly above me at the sunlight coming in beams through the leaves of the trees. What a perfect day. And I didn't even bring my laptop on this little excursion.

I felt something touching my hand, something warm, almost comforting. This new object began to move and proceeded to place itself over my limp hand. Whatever it was, it felt rough, yet still…soothing.

What was it?

I looked to my right and saw Taichi, resting his arm behind his head. His eyes were closed. He had dozed off. So nonchalant, like always.

Except until recently, with his strange quiet behavior last week…

I followed the length of his other arm, and my stomach made an odd knot when I stopped at his hand.

Why was his hand over mine?

Was he having one of his Sora-type dreams again? I remembered how he would do erratic things in his sleep when he liked her. When I would be spending the night over at his apartment and we would both be in sleeping bags on the floor, he would sometimes murmur things and put his arm over some unfortunate pillow that he would bury his face in.

At times I happened to be in the place of these pillows, and I would have to pinch him awake to bring him back to reality.

But I thought he got over Sora months ago, after Yamato had claimed her.

Come to think of it, he has been, at times, acting like he did when he had feelings for her, but not those days when he had complete silence towards me.

That still didn't explain anything.

Perhaps it's simply another girl.

I wonder who? And if it is another girl, why on earth hasn't he just asked her to the party Saturday night?

I noticed my hand was still under his. I slowly slipped it away, inch-by-inch, but before I was completely separated from him, his eyes shot open. They looked down at our hands, still touching, and widened.

Tai yanked his resting hand away and quickly stood up. He would usually joke about it if these kinds of things happened at sleepovers, mockingly swooning over an undying love for me, which I would laugh at and playfully hit him in response.

That didn't happen this time.

"Sorry I fell asleep," he said quickly, avoiding my eyes.

"I don't mind," I shrugged my shoulders, sitting up. "You're tired. You should be after getting only twenty hours of sleep in the past week."

We may have been pretty used to Yumi and her crying by now, but we certainly weren't accustomed to trudging to school everyday, looking like we would collapse at any moment.

"Yeah," he laughed a rather broken laugh. Taichi began to look around the park, and then spotted something. "Look! Pretty girl!" He plucked Yumi from the grass, who had found a ladybug as a playmate for those few minutes of relaxation, and ran towards this "pretty girl".

I raised my eyebrow at my best friend and sighed as I bore witness to the scene of Taichi desperately asking this unknown girl to the party, only to discover that she had a massive boyfriend who began to chase him around the park, spewing out insults and promising him much pain.

I'd go over and help him, but I like being alive.

Taichi, will you ever learn? Judging by what's occurring at this moment, I'd say that's pretty hopeless.


	28. Thursday Tai's POV

Okay, it was up to that point where I had to count down the hours. The hours left until Saturday night. And I had just about forty-eight left.

I needed a date and I needed one fast. Let's just say my body was getting used to the whole attracted-to-Koushiro thing, my proof being the way my hand failed me at the park yesterday.

The bad thing was that I couldn't even do anything about it now. Mimi and Sora had come up with a _wonderful_ idea at school. 'We should take the babies to the movies!' they had said. Yamato and Jyou had casually agreed to their idea, probably thinking how great it was, judging by their over-enthusiastic smiles.

Okay, so they were probably forced to think that way.

But still! They may think it's an absolutely magnificent plan, but they had no idea what kind of torture Kou and I had to go through with Yumi and the bunny movie.

It wasn't like I could protest or anything, though. I didn't want to be screeched at by both Sora and Mimi.

And that's why I was now with Kou and Yumi in my Toyota heading towards the movie theatre, where we would meet our friends and their demented partners. The little girl was excited, bouncing on my friend's lap, her pigtails Hikari had tied with bright green elastics, bobbing freely. She loved going on car rides.

Hikari had forgiven me yesterday on my efforts to deny my feelings for Kou by trying to find a girl for this party. I was glad, because having my sister giving me menacing looks at me for hours soon gave me that creepy feeling that she might be plotting to murder me.

Or even worse, telling Kou…

We pulled into the parking lot of the theatre and caught sight of our friends waving in our direction at spotting my beat-up red car. I sighed deeply.

"I swear if they even suggest watching that piece of shit movie once more, I'm going to throw myself in front of traffic."

"And I'll join you," he said, looking up at me from Yumi.

That knot in my stomach just seemed to get tighter and tighter.

Dammit Taichi! Get over it!

I parked in a suitable spot, and we greeted our group as we approached the ticket booth.

"So guys!" I started, grinning. "What were we planning to watch?" What I had told Kou in the car earlier? I really meant that. "I was actually thinking of that new action one. Should be pretty good."

"Are you crazy, Taichi?" Mimi hissed, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm not exposing my Sakura to explosions and random violence!"

"If you haven't noticed," Sora faced me this time. "We do have three children with us. Having people blow up on screen is not exactly the best thing to let them watch."

"Well then, what do you have in mind?" I crossed my arms, frowning. This couldn't be good.

Mimi clasped her hands and beamed. "I thought we could all watch that new romantic comedy from America! Those are always so cute!"

Of course it wasn't good.

"A chick flick!" Yamato was the first to protest. "You never said we had to watch that!"

"Mimi, be reasonable," Jyou said calmly, trying not to attract any more attention than Yamato had with his freaking out. People were already looking our way. "Let's choose something we can all enjoy?"

"Especially for the children," Koushiro piped in. He was standing behind me quietly the entire time, holding the basket where Yumi lay watching the scene with widened eyes.

"And that's why we should watch the romantic comedy," said Mimi. "Five of us will be enjoying the movie, and majority rules!"

"You think that watching two people suck face on screen is better for the babies than watching criminals being taken out?" Yamato asked incredulously, his eyebrow raised.

"Yeah!" I interjected. "And for your information, Yumi prefers violence!"

"Well, it's better than having people getting shot every five minutes!" she tightened her fists. "And how on earth would you know that she…"

"Guys?" a voice interrupted our little argument in front of us. We all turned our heads in that direction and saw Daisuke waving and grinning sheepishly at the ticket stand. "Sorry, but you're holding up the line."

Mimi and Sora glared daggers at Yamato and me as we made our way to the stand. Jyou and Koushiro simply rolled their eyes, shook their heads, and sighed.

"Hey Daisuke!" the pink-haired girl greeted. "Funny seeing you here!"

"Yeah," the younger boy laughed, placing his hand behind his head. "I haven't seen you all in a while!" He looked over the counter to see Yumi, Kenji and Sakura in their baskets. "I didn't know all of you were in on this project."

"Lucky us, don't you think?" Yamato growled, furrowing his eyebrows a bit as he crossed his arms.

Daisuke looked up at him and cringed, a redness coming to his cheeks.

Ah, yes. The Jun factor. I was wondering when she would attack my blonde friend.

"Oh hey, Yamato!" the younger digidestined's voice cracked. "How's it going?" The blonde's frown made Daisuke seem smaller. "Good?"

"Sure," Yamato replied. "If you consider getting dozens of scary messages on your answering machine everyday from an equally scary girl 'good', then yes, life's just spectacular."

Odd how he seemed to get bigger and bigger, while Daisuke was shrinking.

"And how the hell did she get my phone number? I know I'd taken my number off the school directory."

"That, I don't have an answer for," Daisuke squeaked. "But if it makes you feel any better, Jun's locked herself in her room, so I'm pretty sure she won't come by your practice building anytime soon." He grinned the biggest he had ever grinned.

Yamato grunted in approval, his arms still crossed and his eyebrows still furrowed in one of his famous glares.

The ticket boy chuckled nervously. "So, have you guys decided what you want to watch?"

"Nine for 'Desperately in Love' please!" Mimi started before anyone else had a chance to think, already having her wallet open.

Jyou and Yamato stood there absolutely dumbfounded.

No way was I going to stand for this. "That's not fair…"

"We're watching THIS and that's FINAL." The girls' voices sounded pretty close to deadly and I swear their eyes glowed red.

Okay, so maybe a chick flick can't possibly be that bad…

I turned to Yamato and Jyou, who were scared stiff from the reaction of their partners. To think, they've had to put up with this for nearly two weeks.

I certainly would have gone insane by now.

We all paid for our tickets separately, and Mimi offered to take care of the babies' tickets.

Good. I didn't want to waste five bucks on something I didn't want Yumi to watch, after having been forced to fork over eight for my own ticket.

As Daisuke handed me the slip of paper that sealed my doom for the next two hours, he mouthed, "I feel for you, man."

No, he doesn't. I bet that as soon as we walk away he's going to bolt over and die laughing.

Nearly ever seat in the darkened theatre was filled. Couples littered the area. For the most part, however, the guys looked as if they would rather be anywhere but beside their girlfriends at that moment.

An usher who happened to be standing in the corner led us to a mostly empty row near the back.

He eyed Sora. Very much. And Yamato noticed this, because his eyes seemed to flare in the darkness of the filled room.

Not good. For the usher, I mean.

But the idiot continued. He casually touched her shoulder as he directed her to her seat in the row.

And that's when Yamato snapped.

"Back off, man!" he growled, pushing the usher away from Sora, who looked slightly confused. Kenji was looking on in wonder from his basket that his father was holding.

Yamato vigilantly wrapped his free arm around Sora's shoulders and glowered at the surprised usher, who put a stupid grin on his face and backed away quickly with his arms up in defense.

Good choice for him.

It's strange how quickly pretty-boy Yamato can change into macho-protector Yamato. For only a few circumstances, mind you.

I couldn't help but notice the way that usher looked at Sora. He obviously thought she was pretty. But that look…

When I absentmindedly stare at Koushiro, do I look like that?

Does that mean I think he's…pretty?

But he can't be "pretty", because that only describes girls. And girls usually call guys "cute" or "handsome" or… "hot". But that's what _girls_ call guys.

What would a guy call another guy? The same thing? Hell, if I think a girl is really good-looking, then I'll call her "hot". But I can't call Koushiro "hot'. It's very un-Koushiro…

And why am I even thinking about his?

"Taichi, c'mon!" The object of my perplexity motioned from his seat, with Yumi on his lap, to an unoccupied space beside him. "The movie is about to start".

Oh good.

I slumped into my seat and readied my brain for a horrendous two hours of overly dramatic confessions and gushy kissing scenes. Looking past Koushiro, who tried to appear optimistic for the girls, I saw that Jyou and Yamato were already ahead of me. They had rested their heads back in a vegetative state.

I sat there numb for the next hour, as the story unfolded in front of me on screen. This guy knows this chick, and they've been friends since childhood. They're adults now, and she suddenly gets all gorgeous-looking. And she's taken. And it's not until then that the idiot guy realizes he loves her. Now they're at some coffee shop and the guy just said, 'What would you do if someone right now told you that they loved you?' And now the chick is getting all confused, but knows very well what he's talking about…okay, I need to get out of here. I can't take this anymore.

Kou beside me is looking like he's seconds away from taking a long nap. Yumi had already beaten him there. She was curled up into his T-shirt, his arms shielding around her.

Yamato was still in his unmoving state, unaware that Kenji had taken his finger as a sucking toy and that Sora had latched onto one of his arms.

Jyou was propping his head up with his elbow on the armrest. A glint of saliva could be seen on the corner of his mouth. Yeah, he was out.

I tapped my partner's shoulder, stirring him from his extreme boredom. "Koushiro, let's get out of here," I pleaded, my voice lowered to a whimpering whisper.

His eyelids snapped out of their tired trance and his face looked questioning. "But what about them?" He looked back at our friends, probably not wanting to leave them alone to suffer.

"They're being forced to watch this crap," I said, grabbing his wrist. "But we aren't." Pulling him from his seat, I led him out of the row, skirting around people in our path.

"Where are you guys going?" inquired a high voice. We immediately halted, turning around to see Mimi's questioning eyes illuminated from the flashes on the screen.

I thought quickly. "We're heading to the snack bar," I replied, my tone slightly high-pitched from surprise. "I'm in the mood for some nachos, huh Kou?" My friend quickly nodded his head in accession.

"Alright. But hurry back!" The pink-haired girl returned her attention to the movie, resting her head on Jyou's shoulder. "It's almost getting to the good part".

"My ass it is…"

"What was that?"

"NOTHING!"

We sighed in relief and hurried out of the theatre. Yumi was just waking up from her boredom-induced sleep. She yawned as her tired gaze set upon both of us.

"No kidding," I laughed. "Come on. If we paid eight bucks to come here, the least we can do is watch something we like." I began to walk in the direction of the rest of the rooms showing other new releases.

"Taichi," Kou said behind me. "You can let go of me now." My eyes jerked to my hand. Still latched on firmly to his wrist. That traitor, it failed me again!

Unclenching my hand, I looked upward a bit. "Sorry about that." I tried to laugh it off. A pinkness was felt rising to my cheeks, and I was glad the redhead was behind me.

"No worries!" He rested his free hand on my shoulder. "But I think you should carry Yumi now." I turned around to see the little girl being offered to me in his outstretched arms.

"Uh, sure," I replied, receiving her.

"Good!" He smiled fully and strode past me. "Because I think she's in need of a diaper change."

And that's when the fumes hit me.

"Oh my God!" I turned my head away and held her as far as I could from my face. It was toxic. Did she do that just now! "Kou!"

He had the baby bag slung over his shoulder, which he handed to me. "All the stuff you need is in here." He pointed to the women's bathroom. "Just go in there and take care of it."

The women's bathroom? Was he freaking crazy! After that girls' soccer team incident, I didn't wish to make even more enemies from the opposite gender. Casually walking into the women's restroom is like prancing in front of a pack of crocodiles and singing "kill me now".

Kou could probably understand exactly what I was thinking from the terrified expression that covered my face. Maybe he's thought of another solution…

"What, do you think there are changing counters in the men's room?"

Okay, maybe not.

I sent him an angry pout before entering man's pit of doom. The place reeked of perfume. And the walls held something I never thought I would see.

Tampon dispensers.

Oh. My. God.

A toilet flushed and I froze in place. My feet just kind of gave out right at that second. A click from an unlocking bathroom stall.

A girl just about half my age creaked the door open. She gasped when she saw me. There we stood, gaping at each other, neither of us having the slightest idea what to do.

I think it was the baby's fumes that brought her back to reality with a rather harsh jerk, because a cringe went over her before letting out a shrill scream. "You aren't supposed to be in the girls' bathroom!" And she ran out, screaming dramatically as she pushed the bathroom door open to reveal a hysterical redhead clutching his stomach in fits of laughter.

Evil Koushiro. If he weren't so cute, I'd beat him.

…

Dammit! Mentally kick myself!

I looked down to see Yumi staring up into my face with a delighted twinkle playing in her eyes. The bathroom mirror showed that indeed I had a sort of psychotic look on my face, like someone who was about to fall off a twenty-story building.

Oh, how I long to find a suitable wall to bang my head upon repetitiously.

And the ongoing stench brought me back to the task at hand. It was filling up the bathroom and fast.

I found the changing table off to the side of the room and carefully lay Yumi on it, setting the supply bag by my feet. My fingers began to carefully peel the soiled diaper from her, one hand on the pinned cloth and other pinching my nose.

You know what would have been really awkward? If some chick just happened to walk in right at that moment and got freaked out thinking I was some sort of child molester, then called the police to get me locked up in jail.

But that didn't happen and I thank God that it didn't.

Did Koushiro not even think about that possible sequence of events?

Of course not, or else he wouldn't be outside the women's bathroom door laughing his ass off.

I managed to change Yumi's diaper with one hand, the other one not daring to budge from protecting my nose. The entire time she was beaming in innocence, but had this deceitful gleam, almost triumphant, that seemed to say something along the lines of "ha, I win".

I swear everyone's out to get me. First Daisuke, then Koushiro, now Yumi! Oh, and we can't forget about those soccer girls I royally pissed off a couple days ago.

Or, you know, I could just be paranoid…I've been just that for the past week. Paranoid.

I should be paranoid. For Christ's sake, I just referred to a guy as "cute"!

The said "cute" object suddenly rushed into man's black ceramic-tiled pit and quickly shut the door as I was washing my hands. With plumeria-scented soap, might I add.

"Mimi and Jyou are out there at the snack bar," Koushiro blurted, exasperated at nearly being caught by our pink-haired wonder. An almost wild look was glistening in his eyes.

But wait a second…what?

"Are you fucking serious?" I raised my voice, echoing around the flower-papered walls. Yumi, still on the changing counter, whipped her head towards me, flabbergasted.

Kou cringed and flinched at my outburst. Then he snapped. "Would you mind not using that kind of language around her?" He pointed an angry index finger directly at the little girl. A flush tinged his face and a stiffness came to his shoulders.

Whoa, did he crack in two.

I don't think he ever snapped like this before. He was the one who demanded peace. He always hated when Yamato and me would fight with fists and all when we were younger. And he wouldn't even hit me back when I offered him a free punch in the face to get even after I had socked him all those years ago.

Now he cracked, because I swore in front of the baby.

Okay, I'm thinking this baby project is starting to tense him up a bit…

"Sorry Kou," I squeaked. A cheeky grin escaped my lips. His shoulders relaxed and he smiled. Yumi was gathered in his arms, and he looked back at me. "As I was saying, yes, they're out by the snack bar. Now, I say we keep watch from here until they leave." The little girl latched onto his waving finger. "Mimi has eyes like a hawk, and if she finds us, we'll be dragged back into that movie."

So true. It's scary how girls have eyes in the back of their heads. It's as if they have some sort of crystal ball where they can observe our every move and catch every mistake we make. Sometimes I can't help but think that they were given this power to solely torture us guys and forever intimidate us.

And my God, is it working.

"Let's keep watch from the door, then, until they leave." I motioned toward the bathroom entrance.

"Huh?"

"That way we know exactly when she leaves and don't have to stay here guessing when we could go. Plus I want to get away from those things as soon as possible." I pointed to the tampon dispensers mounted on the wall past Kou's head.

He raised his eyebrow at me, oblivious to the fact that Yumi had stuck his finger into her mouth. "You know, Tai, you'd think that after two weeks of in-depth study on menstruation and the female reproduction system, you'd become indifferent to those kinds of things."

I had flinched when he said "menstruation".

"What?" I was taken aback. "You mean it doesn't bother you?"

"Of course not!" He looked down and realized his index finger was still mouthed by Yumi. Surprised, he yanked it away and settled her back onto the changing counter, then placed his hands on his hips. "Why be intimidated by a natural occurrence in the human body?" A thoughtful look came over him. "If it were something like STDs, then maybe I'd understand."

My God, he's braver than I am. "You don't understand Kou!" I was waving my arms frantically in the air. "That natural occurrence puts us men in mortal danger every month!" My hands grab his shoulders and begin to shake him frenziedly. "I should know! I have a sister!"

But instead of sympathizing with me and agreeing that women are indeed the scariest beings that ever walked this planet, he had this amused look on his face. He wasn't smirking. Kou doesn't smirk.

He just looked…amused.

The redhead looked straight at me and one single word escaped his lips.

"Menstruation."

"Kou!" I choked on my breath, hands gripping a bit harder on his shoulders.

"Ovaries," he continued. Christ! Just what is he thinking?

"Quit it!" I whined, pushing him a bit backward. His expression is one I can't seem to name. He was definitely having fun with this. But his face had a tinge of something else…what was it? Evil?

No, Kou could never be evil, but he resembled Yamato so much right now, that it was kind of disturbing.

The glee in his eyes gleamed bright before opening his mouth once more.

"Tampon".

"KOU!" Okay, that was stepping over the line. He was laughing uncontrollably as I pushed him to the tiled floor. I pinned his shoulders to the ground as I straddled his hips.

"Tai!" he forced out, catching his breath. "I never thought you were so afraid of such a small defenseless object. Do you have nightmares about them?"

My knees gripped tighter around his slim hips. "I'm not afraid of it!" I mumble, giving him the best glare I could muster.

Who am I kidding? I can't seriously glare at Koushiro! I look at our position on the floor and think back to how the hell I had ended up sitting on my best friend on the floor of the theatre women's bathroom.

We were talking about tampon dispensers.

What the hell?

Anyhow I burst out laughing, and Kou followed suit. It's funny how these things happen. Just a couple minutes ago I was changing Yumi's diaper while struggling to breathe, and now I was cracking up with my friend lying between my knees.

…

And that's when I realized my position at that moment.

Koushiro. Lying on his back on the floor.

And me straddling him.

Whoa. Why did I really like the sound of that?

I looked down at him, and I was only hoping my body did nothing more than bring a blush to its cheeks.

His black eyes shined against the bathroom ceiling lights, and his bangs were ruffled in such a way that I wanted to bring up a hand and move them to the side. He was smiling dazedly, and his head was tilted just enough that his neck was exposed.

You had no idea how much I wanted to kiss him at that point. How much I had to force myself to not bend down and place my lips over his. To not yank his shirt off and run my hands all over his bare skin. To not taste him.

…

And just listen to my thoughts. Am I really that sex-deprived? Once again I had to ask myself what the hell I was thinking. I desperately wanted to make out with my best friend. Who is a guy.

And I'm a guy.

It isn't right. It can't happen.

So I won't let it.

But I couldn't seem to take my eyes off him. Damn, he shouldn't be allowed to look this good. And his neck just had to be showing that much, didn't it?

I was using all my strength to not take him right here in the women's bathroom, but I could feel myself slowly lowering closer and closer to his lips…


	29. w00t! Update!

_Oh my, I finally updated. Sorry to all who have been hating me for not doing it sooner! Don't hurt me! Sorry! But I DID update, which is the good thing, so yeah. It's just been hard, because I got a job and I got back to drawing, since I had time when school was out._

_I have a DA account that I recently got. You can check it out if you guys don't totally hate me. The link is in my profile. It's One Piece stuff now, but I've got some Taishiro sketches I'm planning to put up soon._

_Kitty-Kat Allie, you're wonderful for even checking whether or not I've been updating this. So this chapter is dedicated to you. I hope you like! And don't worry, it's almost done, so kisses are coming soon!_

_**Now, on to the fic!** _

"Excuse me!" a voice thundered overhead. I whipped my head up to see a rather heavyset woman at the door, looking either very angry, very disturbed, or very amused. I couldn't be too sure. "But the women's bathroom is no place for you tow boys…and a baby?"

I guess she had seen Yumi on the changing counter, whose high giggling could suddenly be heard echoing off the papered walls.

"Sorry!" I leapt off my friend and off the floor as a warmth was felt crawling up my cheeks. "We'll be going now!" The baby was gathered into my arms, and Koushiro grabbed the supply bag.

Then I suddenly remembered something. I turned back to the woman who thankfully interrupted what I was just seconds away from doing. "Did you happen to see a pink-haired girl and a blue-haired guy out in the lobby?"

She blinked at me. "Yes, actually. The girl seemed to be in an argument with the cashiers at the snack bar when I got in here."

Mimi in an argument? That can't be good…

"Thanks!" I said, before grabbing hold of Koushiro's wrist and racing out of the women's bathroom right into the men's bathroom next door. Knowing better this time, I immediately dropped his thin wrist at entering.

Good, no one was here. Completely empty.

"Tai…?" Apparently Kou had no idea why I just pulled him into another bathroom.

"Mimi's still out there, and it seems she's fighting with a cashier," I grinned cheekily. "You wouldn't mind watching, would you, Kou?"

He smiled, sending chills up my spine. "Then, we'll go to another movie, right?"

"Sure! Right after we're sure Mimi and Jyou are gone." I motioned for him to kneel beside me, and I creaked the door open a crack to witness our friends at the snack bar. Kou took Yumi from my arms and settled her on his lap.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WON'T GIVE ME POPCORN?" yelled that unmistakable voice. My friend and I jumped and crowded closer around the door crack to catch a closer glimpse of the scene, hoping no one would be entering the restroom soon.

Mimi, with a startled Jyou beside her, had her hands planted on the snack bar counter in the lobby right outside the restrooms. The cashier had backed away a bit but had this determined defiance on his face.

I can only imagine the angry look in her eyes right at this second. When Mimi wanted something, she'll stop at nothing to get it.

"Sorry, no can do," answered the cashier haughtily. "We're on break right now."

"BREAK!" she continued. "It only takes five seconds to fill a tub of popcorn!"

"If you come back in twenty minutes, you can get it then."

"But I'm hungry now!" she leaned towards the uniformed employee, fingers gripping the glass counter. "Popcorn will take only a second!"

"Mimi, calm down," Jyou put his hands on her shoulders, as Mimi took a deep breath.

He turned to the cashier. "Will you please give us some popcorn?"

The young man looked Jyou up and down and smirked. "And just who do you think you are? This babe's boyfriend?" He laughed loftily.

Beside me Kou gasped. "Do you think Jyou will do something?"

"I hope so." Half of me desired to run out there and knock some sense into that guy, and the other half knew that if I did that, I would have to face Mimi's wrath. And my whole self really didn't want that.

So I decided to stay put hidden in the restroom.

Who knows? Maybe Jyou will freak out again. That'd be really funny. Jyou freaking out is always funny.

But what we got was something completely different.

Our tall blue-haired friend leaned over and grabbed the idiot cashier by his shirt. "GIVE MY GIRL HER POPCORN NOW OR I'LL BE TALKING TO YOUR MANAGER!"

The entire lobby had gone quiet at that moment, dozens of pairs of widened eyes darted to the red-faced Jyou and the employee, who looked stunned, to say the least.

Wow, who would have thought he had it in him?

Or maybe it was the fact that if Mimi doesn't get her popcorn, she would continue screaming and causing an even bigger scene in the middle of the theater lobby…

I don't know if it was Jyou's actions of his threat of talking with the manager, but the cashier certainly responded. He grinned sheepishly. "Of course! Coming right up!"

He quickly filled the biggest tub available to the rim with popcorn and hastily handed it to a shocked Mimi. Jyou reached in his pocket for his wallet, but the frazzled employee put up his hands frantically. "Don't worry! It's on us!"

The bluette, looking pretty surprised at himself, grinned broadly, put an arm around Mimi's shoulders and led her off in the direction of their movie.

For a few moments we were frozen by the partly open door, eyes peeled at the couple making their way back from the snack bar, barely noticing Yumi looking up at both of us as if we'd gone nuts.

Koushiro was the first to speak. "Never thought he'd do that."

I nodded thoughtfully, shutting the door and standing up. "Yeah, but I think he would have done anything possible to keep Mimi from getting into one of her rants."

He tilted his head slightly to the side as he stood up from the floor. "True."

Convinced that the coast was totally clear, we exited the vacant men's restroom. We had successfully escaped the dreaded chick flick and without being detected.

"So are we gonna do it?"

Oh God, YES!

…wait, huh?

I spun around to confirm whether or not I had actually heard what I thought the redhead said.

"What?"

"I said 'are we going to go watch another movie or not'?"

"Oh! Yeah sure," I whipped myself back around. My face was getting all hot. To think, that if I had gotten the chance that second, I would have tackled him to the ground in front of all these people and done what I pleased to him in the theater lobby.

Oh man…

I squinted my eyes up ahead to see that an usher, who was probably there to check tickets, was guarding the room showing the action film at the far side of the lobby.

Great.

"Kou." I stopped. "It looks we can't get into the one I wanted to watch. Look over there." My index finger pointed to the rather large usher surveying the lobby from beside the double doors dividing us from our movie.

"That's fine," my friend's voice says from behind. His hand came up to touch my shoulder to stop us from moving any further. "That comedy over there doesn't have anyone watching the door." He shifted his head towards the movie entrance to our right. "I've seen commercials for it. Looks entertaining and I'm sure Yumi will also enjoy it."

With a sharp turn I directed my steps towards the unguarded doors, Kou at my feet with Yumi buried in his loose T-shirt. "If you say so, Kou."

At entering the movie we found it was nearly halfway over. We spotted a few empty seats near the back of the room.

Just a couple of minutes after settling in our row, and there was a reaction in our having a baby. A group of girls in front of us turned around, eyes widened, the corners of their mouths almost reaching their ears in a cat-like smile.

"Cute baby!" one of them piped. "She yours?"

"You can say that," Kou smiled cheerfully.

All four pairs of eye-lined eyes were intent on my friend. I felt my hand tighten around the armrest.

"You can come sit by us if you'd like," offered another girl. "There's an extra seat right here." What caught me with this girl were her eyes. They looked sort of misted over. Kind of like…like…

…the usher towards Sora…

I jutted into the conversation even before the redhead could open his mouth. "Sex Ed. project. He has to stay with me." I was surprised at my voice. It seemed a little defiant…

From the corner of my eye I caught sight of Kou looking sideways at me, raising his eyebrow.

The glossed-over mistiness in the girl's vanished at that instant. "Oh! That's no problem!" She beamed fully. But she didn't turn around just yet. "If you change your mind, we'll be saving you that seat!" With a wink of her shadowed eye, directed specifically at Kou, she and her friends spun their heads back towards the glaring screen.

Then I found myself pouting. "Why aren't they at the chick-flick?" I said to myself under my breath.

"What's that Tai?" He leaned his head towards me. Yumi made a sort of noise that probably meant she was wondering the same thing.

"Nothing Kou," I quickly responded. My arm propped up my chin.

Again, the redhead's eyebrow rose. His lips parted as if he was about to speak.

He didn't.

Giggles emitted from the girls in front of us. It was then that I realized something.

I could have asked one of them to the party Saturday night. I really could have. They were all kind of cute I guess…

But I lost my chance. Or did I…?

However, I never did find out if I still had that chance…

Because if I did, I didn't take it.

_Well, that's the end of the chapter! There will be no more 3-month long waits for updates. If I don't come up with a new chapter by next week, I shall you all permission to shoot me. Thanks to all who are still reading this!_


	30. Where the hell's Taichi!

The last day of the school week has finally arrived. The redheaded teenager opened his eyes to find himself in Taichi's bedroom. The sky, through the opened window, was a brilliant blue tinged with gray as sunlight was beginning to peak through the masses of swirling clouds. Early morning.

Friday mornings were always the sweetest.

He stretched his arms and legs while still being completely covered by his sleeping bag. A chuckle escaped his lips as memories from the day before flashed in his mind.

After walking out yesterday laughing from the comedy, Mimi and Sora had spotted them from the theatre lobby, looking rather angry, as a matter of fact.

Taichi and Koushiro had bolted out of the movie theatre lobby barely escaping the girls' wrath, as well as the fuming expressions of Yamato and Jyou, who were positively seething that their friends had betrayed them in such a painful time. Yumi had peeked over her red-haired caretaker's shoulder to catch sight of the girls letting out a bloodcurdling screech of both the boys' names.

And faster did they run.

After finding safety in the red Toyota, the brunette had started the engine in a flash, waving a cheeky goodbye to his four friends as he zoomed out of the parking lot.

The thought tugged a smile from Koushiro's lips. He stretched once more before sliding out of the sleeping bag. Rubbing his tired eyes, he set his gaze on the occupied crib at the front on Taichi's bed. The little girl had her thumb stuck inside her mouth, her chest rising and falling in the constant rhythm of sleep.

"I'll let you rest some more," he whispered to the baby as he spotted the alarm clock sitting on the nightstand, showing that it was still quite early.

The redhead groggily made his way into the living room, expecting to find Taichi lazily eating a bowl of cereal on the couch. Instead of finding said boy in the room, he found his sister pouring herself a glass of juice, still rubbing her eyes from recent slumber. Hikari looked sideways to Koushiro, who was surveying the space, craning his neck back and forth.

He was sure it wasn't time for school just yet. The digital clock had told him that he had nearly an hour until he had to leave for class. Could the brunette be taking a shower?

No, the bathroom was dark and empty…

Where could Taichi be?

"He's not here," the young girl said, confirming Koushiro's suspicions. Her tone was a bit dark as she slowly sipped her cup, half-full with orange juice. "Said he had to pick up something before school."

"Really?" The teenage boy faced her, a tinge of worry crossing his features. His dark eyes shifted to the tiled floor, then sideways to the vacant living room, then once more to the floor. "How long ago did he leave?"

"About fifteen minutes ago," Hikari answered, her gaze intent on the glass cup set in front of her. "Just when I got up."

Koushiro pursed his lips and slowly took a seat across from the unsettled girl. He thought all this was over and behind them. Troubles in the past. Why had they come back?

"Taichi wasn't aloud to go to practices during this whole project, was he?"

The redhead looked up from the hands glumly resting on his lap, only to bore into the questioning visage of his best friend's younger sister.

Why such a question?

"I was sure Ms. Nakamura and the soccer coach had him excused from everything this entire time." His fiery eyebrow arched upward in perplexity. He remembered that Taichi was frozen for half the day, because his precious sport had been temporarily taken away from him.

"He had his gear with him when he left." Tired mahogany eyes widened at this realization. The digidestined of knowledge was dumbfounded by the response.

Had Taichi thought that he could get away with one day of soccer practice under his belt? Maybe he just couldn't take it anymore. Maybe he wanted to head down to the field before class began and feel what it was like to have the black-and-white ball bounce against his feet and shins.

But…

He could have taken Yumi and Koushiro with him…he doesn't mind watching his closest friend race across the playing field, skillfully dribbling the ball…

A soft whimper, followed by a wail, echoed from the unlit bedroom, ringing throughout the entire apartment, causing both necks to whip around towards the tiny source of the gigantic noise.

Koushiro nearly toppled his chair over when he sped from the kitchen table to the little girl flailing chubby arms and legs around in her enclosure. She was lifted by her underarms and rested in the cradle that was her caretaker's arms. The cries soften to rhythmic, whimpered sighs, and chocolate eyes rise curiously to meet those of the high school student.

"Looks like he left us again, Yumi." He tried to keep up the façade of cheer plastered onto his face, but his voice failed to match. The little girl stuck out her lower lip, as if in a pout, and raised her hand, trying to touch the redhead's pale cheek.

He caught the tiny hand midway with his own, and smiled brightly down at Yumi. His arms tightened around her a bit. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

The baby was settled onto the unmade bed as Koushiro took his school uniform out of his backpack and opened the supply bag.

"Get ready to walk to school."

OOOOOOOOOO

A brisk breeze rustled through strands of hair and chilled pale cheeks as the teenager walked up the sidewalk, basket strap slung over his shoulder. The green blazer and black tie blew in the wind, causing him to try to fix his uniform, but to no avail.

Yumi let out a high sneeze and sniffled. Her caretaker looked down into her basket and grinned. "Kind of cool today, isn't it?"

She answered with another sneeze.

Each step the redhead took, he plunged deeper and deeper in a never -ending pool of questions. Would he really find Taichi at the school playing field, kicking around his old soccer ball? If he was there, would he come and greet them both and explain that he just wanted to come early to keep his skills in check and that he didn't want to wake them up, so they would be able to sleep a bit more? Will he say that?

Or will it be like last week…he shuddered inwardly.

What if he's not there at all? Well, that would be a completely different situation. If he disappeared, like that one afternoon.

His black gaze settled on his shuffling feet, which were suddenly moving faster and faster.

What will Taichi hold for him today?

Raising his head, he spotted the top of the high school building in the distance and, by themselves, his legs strode faster, almost at a dash.

Hands gripped onto the straps of the basket to keep it from swinging violently back and forth in the boy's frantic race to school. Streets were crossed without paying heed to cars and crosswalks, and quite a few people nearly missed being crashed into by the student and his project.

The only thing in the redhead's field of vision was the school and its soccer field.

His watch around his wrist informed him that there were about twenty minutes remaining until the first bell rang.

"Taichi might still be at the fields," he told himself. The line kept repeating itself inside his head as he arrived at the school building and sped around to the left side, towards the south parking lot adjacent to the green.

Vehicles dotted the lot, since it was still quite early. The rush usually came about five minutes before the sound of the first period bell. Yamato's coupe and Jyou's SUV weren't anywhere in sight.

Not that this was what Koushiro was looking for. His attention was on the playing fields at the foot of the sloped hill from the parking lot, hand still gripping tightly to the straps of the basket, the exasperated little girl inside.

Black eyes scanned the green, followed by a heavy sigh. No sign of the wild-haired teen anywhere.

He turned around to check for is friend's Toyota. Sure enough, the vehicle was partly hidden between two others on the far side of the lot.

So he was here. "But where?" Koushiro whispered to himself.

The redhead entered through the back main entrance, looking around everywhere, hoping to see appear from a classroom or hallway or taking a drink from a drinking fountain somewhere.

The halls were nearly empty, save for the occasional lone student who was making their way to a classroom or the library. Yumi's soft impatient grunts were clearly audible.

Nothing. Empty. No one.

He found his Literature Studies classroom and plopped himself in one of the desks near the back row, where he, Taichi and Yamato usually sat. The basket was set on the desk beside his where his brunette friend would claim as his seat for the period. Yumi was gathered in his arms as he waited for the first bell to ring.

A few minutes passed, and people began to join him in the quiet room, greeting him with a wave or coming over to coo at the baby.

More time passed, and the talking and bustling outside rose in volume. Laughter rang and the sounds of many lockers slamming shut. People poured into the classroom, and soon the teacher also entered, beginning to prepare her materials and lesson plans for the day before the first bell.

Yamato entered, looking absolutely sleepless with dark circles under his eyes and his hair a complete mess, sticking up in all directions. It usually did, anyway, but today it wasn't sticking up in a gelled, artful manner. Kenji was lying in his basket, looking quite glamorous with a pair of jeans, a denim jacket and a designer shirt underneath. His face was contorted in such a way that he looked about ready to bawl in the next five seconds.

Apparently Yamato was aware of this.

He rushed over to the unoccupied seat in front of the redhead and dropped his book bag to the ground, settling all attention onto the blonde baby. Kenji was picked up and cooed by his caretaker before he could even open his pursed little mouth to let out a piercing cry.

Yamato sighed in relief at seeing that his project had calmed down. He collapsed into his chair after setting the complacent child into his basket and turned around to greet his friend.

"I have a feeling he likes Sora more than me," he glared down at the yawning Kenji beside is chair. The blonde caught Koushiro's grim expression and raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, Koushiro!" Yamato exclaimed. "I know this whole baby project wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world, but it seriously wasn't that bad." The redhead was still glum. "I mean, you of all people probably had the least trouble with this! Look, your baby looks happy as ever!" Sure enough, Yumi looked quite pleasant resting comforting in the student's arms. The said student, however, did not.

Yamato pressed on. "What, you're suffering computer withdrawal, or something?"

"No, that's not it," Koushiro cut in. His voice seemed on edge, but soft.

At that second, the first bell of that Friday rang. The redhead surveyed the entire classroom, eyes tracking the wild mop of brown. An empty desk still sat beside him.

Nothing.

He set his sorrowful gaze back on the blonde in front of him. "Have you seen Taichi?"

The corners of Yamato's mouth fell almost instantly. "You mean he's not with you? But I saw his Toyota out in the back lot…"

"He's not here," the younger boy said bluntly. The black pools were a mixture of sadness and anger. "I haven't seen him all morning. I walked to school."

The blonde was stunned. Speechless. Taichi wasn't like this at all. What on earth could be going on?

It was then that he realized it.

"That damn idiot."


	31. Koushiro the Wife

First period came and went. Taichi never entered, claiming he was late. There was no sign of the lead digidestined on the way to history upstairs. No mess of brown hair in the classroom. He never came in that period, either.

The digidestined of knowledge became increasingly worried each minute that passed. Was Taichi okay? Where was he? Was he angry with him? Was he the sole cause of this entire thing? A plethora of questions swirled endlessly around his head, an ocean of unknown crashing in to him.

Needless to say, he couldn't think of anything else.

He was drowning.

The brunette didn't appear in third period. Not only did this worry his redhead friend; it was a hassle. Yumi cried more than usual that morning and she had to be brought to the restroom to have her diaper changed.

It was almost as if the baby girl herself wasn't accustomed to seeing the two boys apart. And she didn't want this one bit.

Fourth period crept up. Health class. And no sign of Taichi anywhere. On the way to the classroom, Yamato informed Jyou and the girls of their leader's sudden disappearance, to which Sora and Mimi promptly stated that they personally murder Taichi once they find him.

To that, Yamato and Jyou cringed, but inwardly agreed after remembering what he and Koushiro had done to them at the movie theater the day before.

Ms. Nakamura was sitting on her desk, smiling bigger and bigger every time a student with a baby would walk in. She hopped off when everyone had entered the windowless classroom and settled into their proper seats. Everyone, save for the brunette.

"Welcome to the official last day of the baby-care project!" she greeted the class enthusiastically. Looking around the room, she continued. "This has truly been a great experience for all of you. And from the looks of it, it was also quite an experience for the babies!"

A flutter of voices filled the room, which the young teacher responded by raising her hand to signal the noise to cease.

"I'm sure all of you have much to say about this assignment, and I would love to hear it!" She clasped her hands, beaming. "That's why I'm assigning each of you a reflection paper on this entire project. It can't be any shorter than 1500 words and remember to be creative! This is due by next Wednesday."

Half the class groaned in response, followed by a couple minutes of silence were grudgingly writing down their new assignment in their notebooks.

"The project logs are due today. Please look through them to check if every page has been filled and done correctly."

A shuffling of papers followed, along with a murmur of voices. Koushiro was lucky to have the packet in his possession. He and Taichi had made sure the entire thing was completed from front to back. Behind him, he could hear Mimi hissing to Jyou why he hadn't filled out a certain day, but Jyou was too busy battling with Sakura for his pencil to listen.

"I'm going to call out the names of your babies and one of the parents will bring the packet up to me, okay? Alright, first off, Kenji Ishida-Takenouchi."

Yamato, a bit red by the announcing of Kenji's name, rose from his seat beside Sora and placed the completed packet on the teacher's desk.

The rest of the babies' names were called off this way, among them being a Sakura Kido-Tachikawa, to which Jyou quickly scurried to the front to turn in the just-finished assignment, at being called.

"And finally, Yumi Yagami-Izumi." Ms. Nakamura looked up from her list.

Koushiro silently got up from his desk, stalked up to the teacher and handed her the packet bearing both names of he and his partner. It was when he was making his way back to his seat that he realized something.

Why was he made the "wife"?

Once again, voices filled the small classroom and the teacher stood patiently at the front, hands folded neatly in front of her, waiting for each one to die down.

She began to speak once everything became still. "I think you all have had a big dose of Health Education in the past two weeks."

A "God, yes!" was heard behind Koushiro by a voice that he was quite sure was Jyou's.

"So I think it would be very appropriate to let you out early for lunch. That sound fair?"

Cheers resounded from the class, as well as a chorus of "Thank you, Ms. Nakamura". Rustling and shuffles followed as students were packing their papers and supplies to get ready to leave.

"Remember class!" the teacher interrupted. "You all must come to tomorrow's celebration at the beach to say good-bye to your babies! Absolutely no one can miss this!"

She paused and continued before talking filled the classroom. "There is also a big soccer game after school today in the playing fields." Her eyes seemed to be staring directly at Koushiro. "It would be a good event to bring your babies to on the day before the celebration."

Ms. Nakamura settled intently on the redheaded student for a second, her pupils swept past him.

"Class dismissed."

With that, students bolted out of the classroom, baskets in hand, off to a well-deserved lunch. Koushiro, however, took his time filing his papers and organizing his messenger bag. He eyed the young teacher carefully and pondered her last statement to the class.

Why would she announce the upcoming soccer game to the class?

…

Then he understood.

"Ms. Nakamura?" he asked rather sheepishly at the classroom door, the basket carrying Yumi slung over his shoulder.

The teacher was organizing the turned-in packets at her desk. She looked up to her student at the mention of her name. "Yes, Koushiro?"

He couldn't speak at that moment. He had no idea what to say. How on earth did she know all about this? "…Never mind. Sorry."

She grinned widely. "That's fine, Koushiro. Have a nice lunch!" Returning to her filing and organizing, she turned her back to him.

"Thank you. I'll see you later," the student replied. He was about to step out of the classroom when his teacher's voice stopped him.

"So you'll be at the soccer game after school?"

Black eyes widened and he snapped his neck back to his teacher. Her back was still facing the door.

"Uh, of course!" the redhead stammered.

"Good! Then, I hope to see you two tomorrow night." She never turned around to face her student while speaking.

Koushiro's gaze widened at Ms. Nakamura. "Um, yes!" With that, he scurried from the classroom, perplexed and a little frightened about is Health Education teacher's extent of knowledge of he and his best friend's now-stormy relationship.

He walked out to the benches, where his friends were beginning to enjoy a lunch of rice bowls and bento boxes.

"Hey Koushiro!" Jyou waved, his mouth completely covered with bits of rice. "What kept you?" Mimi threw a napkin in his face, and he complied with her unspoken order.

The redhead took a seat beside Yamato and placed Yumi's basket beside Kenji's on the adjacent bench. "I just had to ask Nakamura a question." He took out a rice and chicken bowl out of his bag that he had prepared that morning quickly at the Yagami apartment.

Jyou mumbled something inaudible in response as he was gulping down a bottle of water.

"You know," Sora piped in thoughtfully, setting down her chopsticks in the half-empty bowl. "I have a feeling we'll see Taichi at the game this afternoon. I mean, where else would he possibly be?"

Her blonde partner wiped his mouth. "Yeah, the idiot probably couldn't take it anymore." He turned to Koushiro, putting a piece of chicken between his lips. "Don't worry, man. We'll beat some sense into him once we spot him at the game."

The younger boy smiled faintly and chewed contently on his morsel.

Maybe he'll get all his answers to all his questions resounding in his head.

_Um, yes. I didn't update for quite a while. And I'm really sorry. Really, I am. But school has really been a bitch, with college applications and internal assessments and that extended essay and everything else. The semester has really been hell. I never realized that applying for college would be so complicated. Financial aid, forms, recommendation letters, essays...gah._

_ Anyhoo, yes, I updated and I probably should have been shot several times for that promise I made in the last chapter about not taking weeks to do it. So, now I won't promise. When I get the chance, I will. This thing needs to get done some time...BEFORE I graduate and leave for college...wherever that might be. :crosses her fingers for Colorado College or Dartmouth: (I shouldn't even be shooting for that second one...)_

_Till next time, I guess. Review if you can, please. Reviews are good for the soul. Or something..._


	32. Shiznik, an update!

It came to nobody's surprise, but everyone's dismay when Taichi did not turn up to any of the classes after their extended lunch period. Teachers continued to mark him absent for the day, though students claimed to have seen his red Toyota among the vehicles in the south parking lot.

The dreaded Pre-Calculus class was the last period of the day and also the one that dragged by the longest. One could have sworn that invisible hands were holding the minute hand on the clock in place.

The long-awaited final bell at last ran promptly at 2:15 and Yamato and Koushiro trudged out of Mr. Fushima'a grasp and into the freedom that awaited them outside the classroom.

Kenji and Yumi had decided that they should wreak havoc upon their parents at this particular time of day. For half of that period, the blonde baby and the auburn-headed little girl would not cease their wailing. As both teens were racing to the bathrooms to calm them, their screams were heard in each passing classroom like a blaring siren on a rushing ambulance.

Never had they struggled for so long and hard with the babies, trying to feed them and burp them. Especially Koushiro with Yumi.

But nonetheless, they survived the harsh ordeal.

Sora and Mimi, and later an equally exasperated Jyou, met up with the two boys and began thinking up tactics as to how they should attack Taichi and set him straight.

"We should just march into that field and drag him out of that game by the collar and force him to tell us what's going on!"

"Mimi, calm down…"

"Maybe we should shout taunts at him while he's playing to mess him up. No revenge on that hairball is sweeter than screwing a bit with his game…"

"But Sora, imagine if he did that to you."

"Then, I'd kill him."

"…"

"I say we blackmail him over the megaphone."

Koushiro turned to the taller blonde. "Blackmail him with what?"

"I know exactly what." This brought an arch to the younger boy's eyebrow.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

As the digidestined group made their way to the south playing fields, the soccer game was just commencing. The bleachers were more than half-filled as more students poured into the open seats.

The digidestined of courage was near the benches, stretching his limbs, flexing his leg muscles and trying to relax his entire and body for the game he was just itching to play. He would be called in mere seconds.

His red and white uniform felt much lighter on his skin than usual, his head like air. His thoughts wandered back to earlier that morning. The way he had abruptly left his friend and the baby alone in the apartment was rough, perhaps even harsh, he had to admit. Harsh, like when he left his Toyota in the parking lot and walked to the park to spend the day drilling and practicing. Harsh, like when he never returned to the class or even told anyone, much less his partner, where he was going to be.

Harsh, like he felt right at this moment.

But that minute when his mind made that very decision, he wouldn't have done anything else.

It wasn't as if he knew of anything else to do.

Taichi had spoken with his coach before the first period bell rung and convinced him that he had actually had a conference with Ms. Nakamura the day before to let him play this one game, as it did contribute to the team's chances of qualifying for the championships at the end of the season. He was to play for sure.

The coach's deep bellow sounded in his ear, and he swept brown locks away from his deep, thinking eyes, lifting himself from the bench, jogging to the center of the field.

He looked into the eyes of the opponent, unknown to him, but his enemy nonetheless. A shrill whistle blew, and the brunette attacked the ball separating him and the opposite player. The soccer ball in his possession, he wove around the swarm of boys wearing uniforms unlike his own. His target was in plain sight in front of him, its goalie looking more and more nervous as Odaiba High School's star player was speeding closer and closer in his direction. Any second now, that ball will smash against that net. He could practically taste it…

_Did Koushiro feel the same about him?_

Eyes widened, he choked on his breath, and his knees buckled. Face connected with green. An opposing player, though quite shocked, quickly stole the ball away. The crowd on the bleachers gasped in unison and murmurs soon followed. The brunette groaned and pounded the ground angrily with a clenched fist, then pushed himself up off the grass, not bothering to brush bits of dirt and grass from his now-stained shirt.

A hand came up to rub his clouded head. "Why now?" he growled to himself. One of his teammates ran past him, giving him a funny look. Taichi smiled, reassuring him that he was fine with a thumbs-up sign. Like always, the trademark grin worked its charm and no one paid him any heed. A light applause was heard from the fans on the sidelines.

He shook the lingering thought out of his head, and his legs picked up into a jog towards his stolen ball…

"TAICHI!"

…and he stopped there in his spot.

That screech. He whirled around towards the criminal voice and flinched. A visibly perturbed Mimi standing in the stands.

"I can deal with her later," he muttered to himself. "Whatever it is." He directed his body towards the game in session. His teammates were beginning to shout to him, reminding him to keep his head in the game.

"Taichi." Another voice, much deeper, more serious and somehow much more loud.

Once again, the digidestined leader turned around, as his eyes quickly scanned the audience. Yamato…

Where the hell did he get that megaphone from?

But that wasn't what was important. He saw the rest of his friends there, along with the babies. The corners of his mouth turned upward as his gaze passes over Yumi. However, they fell and a blush crept to his cheeks as his eyes met with those of the person holding her. Big worried, deep black eyes.

"Taichi," the blonde repeated. "We have to talk. Get out of the game right now."

The leader's eyebrows furrowed, as well as those of his coach at the sidelines. He was about to protest, but his star player beat him to it.

"No way, man!" Whatever it is, it can wait till later," he retorted defiantly. "I'm not getting out of this."

"Stop now, Taichi. Or else."

"Or else what?" the brunette yelled.

"Dumbass," hissed the digidestined of friendship. "You know exactly what." Blue orbs flickered to the redhead standing beside him, watching frozen as the argument unfolded in front of him.

The coach stood stupefied as he helplessly watched his best player dart off the field from simply hearing that student saying those few words. Now he had to find a suitable replacement and fast…


	33. Confess

"Alright, I'm here," Taichi snarled at the collected blonde as he halted to a stop from his mad dash. "Say what you have to say and make it quick. I've got a game to get back to."

This earned a scowl from a clearly angered Mimi, who shifted her footing and crossed her arms. Sora looked rather surprised at the rash note in the boy's voice. Jyou snapped his neck back and forth between Taichi and Yamato, as if words of protest were at the tip of his tongue. Whatever he wanted to say, he failed to say it.

Koushiro stood petrified at his best friend's words. He felt that throb in his cheek return, as if just seconds ago that fist had connected to his face like it had years ago in another world. A hand subconsciously raised and touched the warming skin. His other arm, supporting the bewildered little girl, grew weak and he bent down to place Yumi in her basket to join Kenji and Sakura as they watched the teenagers in rapt interest.

"Taichi," Yamato smirked in a voice like ice. "You are quite the asshole, you know that?"

The brunette sent daggers to the blonde through his darkened eyes, but said absolutely nothing. He held no words. He didn't feel the need to hold any.

"Quite the asshole?" The biggest one that ever walked the earth, if you ask me!"

And words formed. "Nobody's asking you, Mimi," the soccer player snapped without turning his attentions towards the girl.

A gasp to his right. "Taichi what the hell was gotten into you!" shrieked the voice again, the anger within it becoming more and more apparent. A rustling, then another voice. Jyou's this time. "Mimi, calm down. Just stay right here." Then a groan of defeat.

"What she said," Yamato continued. "What the hell has gotten into you?" Koushiro, beside him, kept his gaze fixed on the brunette, searching for any kind of emotion in the hard face, any answers in those once boyish features. But all he saw was frustration twisting the visage. It was not phased by the other boy's question.

"Wait, wait," the blonde said, with almost a smirk gracing his lips. "I know exactly what's gotten into him."

Every pair of eyes darted towards him, all holding the same reactions. Confusion. Then shock. The curiosity. All except for Taichi's own eyes. His only held pure shock. And that's what everyone else saw when all heads turned to him.

A gasp was caught in his throat. He nearly choked. A warmth rose to his face suddenly, and his fingernails dug deep into his palms.

With all he could muster, Taichi kept his composure.

No way would he let Yamato win at this.

"What are you talking about?" he spat scathingly at the boy opposite of him.

"As if you don't know?" the digidestined countered, a hint of laughter touching his words. "You're going to play naïve now? What do you take me for Taichi? A complete idiot?"

To this, Taichi had no response. Maybe all that was true and he simply couldn't see it. Maybe he thought every single one of his friends were idiots. Maybe he really did think that none of them would see through all that's happened.

He had Koushiro fooled anyway.

The redhead repeated Taichi's question. "What are you talking about?" He kept his widened, black gaze at the brunette, but the words were clearly directed at the blonde. The voice sounded cracked, almost unheard.

For the first time during the entire exchange, the digidestined of courage glanced in the direction of his friend. The black pupils were swimming in confusion, perplexity. Hurt. His lips were parted just the slightest as he breathed in and out, thinking to himself that this may be the day when he finds what possibly could be troubling the older boy.

Taichi visibly gulped, his eyes unable to break loose from the opaque orbs.

"Well Koushiro," Yamato replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "It's actually kind of simple." Behind him, Sora raised an eyebrow, wondering what on earth could be simple about the digidestined's rather stoic behavior. The redhead standing him kept listening, not moving a muscle.

Taichi couldn't utter a word. They've been tangled.

"You see," the blonde continued. "It seems that Taichi here has a bit of an…" The brunette felt the fingernails nearly break through the skin on the inside of his palms. "…infatuation, I guess you could say, on someone you know." He turned his neck backward to the rest of the group. "Someone we all know."

A film of sweat was forming on his forehead, despite the cool breeze blowing through his brown locks.

"He likes someone?" Mimi piped, the cross expression wiped away from her face. "Then why are you making such a big deal out of it, Taichi? Who is it? It can't be that bad!"

Brown was still locked with black.

"Oh, but he thinks it is," taunted Yamato.

"Why?" This time Sora joined in the questioning. Only now there was a hint of a curve to her lips. Taichi afraid of a crush? What next?

"Because he likes…"

"Shut up Yamato!" the soccer player yelled, squeezing his eyes shut, breaking the fear gaze with Koushiro. "Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP."

The guitarist abruptly quieted, startled at the outburst. The smirk slowly returned to this lips in those few seconds of silence, save for the cheering of students from the bleachers near them. Good, he had gotten his attention.

"Why?" There was a playful lilt to that one simple query. "They have the right to know, don't you think?"

His eyelids were still clamped shut, hoping that he would wake up soon in his own bed in his own apartment with his mind free of any silly attractions on any friends. How he wished it were just that. A dream. A nightmare. The needles of pain beginning to sear from his palms told him otherwise.

Trapped.

And he couldn't even reply a strangled "no" to Yamato's question.

"He has a right to know."

Another silence. Even the fans watching the ongoing soccer game hardly uttered a single sound. Taichi felt a thin trickle of blood slowly slide down his finger.

"He?" The brunette recognized Sora's voice. "What do you mean 'he'?"

Mimi's giggle followed. "What, are you planning on stealing some other guy's girl, Tai?" Jyou, his hands still around her shoulders, had a look of pure befuddlement.

It was Koushiro's eyebrow that rose this time. His mind had never been so jumbled in his entire life. The mysteries of the Digital World paled in comparison. He had absolutely no idea what this mostly one-sided conversation was possibly alluding to.

And of course, he had to know.

He opened his mouth to ask Taichi for the first time what on earth was going on, what Yamato was talking about, why he was acting this way, when were things going to get back to the way they were.

A pressure was felt on his lips, a firm, yet soft pressure. The blur in Koushiro's eyes dissipated and he saw the messy brown locks and tan skin that could only belong to one other person.

This was too much for the redhead's head to make sense of.

_Is Taichi…?_ His inner voice could not finish the thought.

His arms, held still by the brunette's firm grip, did not dare move to attempt an escape. The black eyes stayed widened and round, the pupils like dark, glossed marbles. In this way they remained even when the taller boy's grip loosened and the tension on his still-parted lips resided, a puff of warm breath upon his face as Taichi separated from that of the younger boy.

In this way they remained even when the back of the soccer uniform fluttering in the air as Taichi tore further and further away from him and the rest of his friends.

Widened, like the brown eyes of the baby girl lying in the basket.

_Whoa, I updated...well, there you have it. Two chapters. After like...who knows how long. I won't give up on this fic, I really won't. I dedicate these lastest chapters to Arai-hime who is awesome and drew fanart for this fic. Totally sweet, that is still mind-boggling to me. Check the pictures out here: w w w . d e v i a n t a r t . c o m / d e v i a t i o n / 2 9 9 6 7 0 3 6 / and for the other one, the web address in the same only change the number part to 28667436. _

_Yeah, for some reason FFN is hating on the links, but whatever. _

_Thank you Arai! Many, many hugs for you._


	34. Realize

'_He kissed me'_. The words echoed in my head like the ringing in one's ears when they are struck in the cranium with a heavy object all of a sudden. I brought a hand to my lips and the tips of my fingers gently brushed upon the warmth that still tingled where Taichi had placed his own seconds before.

A trace of a wet sensation lingered, and I carefully glided my tongue over it, a taste that was new to me.

I could still hear my ragged intakes of air in a slow rhythm, unlike the rapid pounding of blood in my ears, as I slowly spun around towards my friends standing behind me.

It was as if a blanket of utter bewilderment had befallen the four of them, just like it had smothered me. Jyou's dark blue eyes were like those of a deer with a bright spotlight shining on it in the darkness. His mouth could not be forced shut and fragments of sputtered words could be heard from the back of his throat. Sora and Mimi had a dark shade of pink rouged across their cheeks, their postures stiff.

Yamato had stupor written all over his somewhat flushed face. He resembled a fish out of water, mouth opening and closing, as if pondering what to say, the words escaping his grasp the moment he was about to speak them.

"He kissed me." Hearing that pronouncement out loud outside my clouded head was strange. Hearing my own voice speak those words left an odd feeling deep inside my stomach. The warmth rose once more to my lips.

Yamato caught hold of what he had to say. "I didn't think he'd be so forward about it."

As did Sora. "You mean you knew?" A streak of surprise and anger, a dangerous mix, could be sensed in her voice.

The rouge left my older friend's cheeks as his shoulders became visibly rigid. "Yeah, kind of…" He trailed off, each syllable more stifled than the last.

"And you didn't even tell me?" That note of ferocity was rising. She continued the questions without giving Yamato the time to answer the previous one. "How did you know?"

He seemed to be intensely interested in a patch of grass a few yards away. "Taichi told me a while ago…"

"How long ago?" Sora set her hands on her hips, her weight resting on one leg, like a mother scolding her child. A trace of pink remained on the skin stretched across her cheekbones.

"…About a week ago, I think," he replied, eyes still grinding into the patch of green.

It was Mimi's turn to contribute to the chiding of my defenseless friend. "You could have told us, and we could have helped Taichi…settle this…somehow." Her words seemed cautious, though her tone was sharp. Mimi never chose her words carefully.

My digits continued to graze the faintly tepid lips. Settle what? He kissed me. Again that repeated inside my head, like a neon sign flashing before me. Again, again and again…

"Taichi told me about this and only me. You think he wanted you guys to know too? Yamato faced the two girls, his mouth pursed. It unfurled to continue his retort. "You think I wanted him to keep going with his attitude? I was getting tired of it!" He seethed, the blue orbs darkening. "I tried telling him that he should get this figure out as soon as possible. He couldn't go on just ignoring it. But of course, since he's the stubborn bastard we all know, he kept doing just that." He kicked the fresh dirt underneath his shoes. "Fucking idiot. If he actually does care about Koushiro, then he should have let him know in the first place."

For the first time in this conversation I heard my name. Taichi's problem was an "it", and now it had a name. My finger pressed onto my bottom lip.

Koushiro.

These feelings that Yamato had mentioned…Taichi had them for me? That must be why he kissed me. That seems to fit together. Wait, no it doesn't. It doesn't make a speck of sense.

Taichi likes me? Is that why he kissed me? I can't make the connection.

Why would he like me? Doesn't he still hold something for Sora? Whatever happened to that?

Doesn't he see that I'm…male?

He kissed me. Me, a male. And he is also male.

I couldn't comprehend.

"Koushiro, are you okay?" I heard a voice. It sounded much like Sora's gentle one. "Koushiro?" I took a breath as I drifted from that ocean of confusion.

"Huh?" The hand carefully brushing that curious tingle fell to my side. I saw clearly in front of me, to see myself in the center of everyone's scrutiny. The basket at their feet held Kenji, Sakura and Yumi, all three pairs of wide infant eyes gaping up into mine.

"Koushiro," she repeated, a bit quieter once she caught my attention. Or at least most of it. "What are you going to do, then?"

About what? What was I supposed to do? I have that uncomfortable throb in my midsection as if the acids decided to conjure up a tornado right at that second. A fog clouding up everything and creating a nonsense disarray of ridiculousness. What was I going to do now? Talk to Taichi? Face him? What could I possibly say?

I uttered the only thing that I knew I was certain of. "I don't know." A cheer arose from the playing fields. Maybe a goal was scored. Taichi wasn't there. Where did he go? Did I want to know?

I took a few steps forward, wrapping my hand around the handle of Yumi's basket, my arms feeling light and airy. As I lifted up the small amount of weight, I caught the brown pupils of the little girl, as she made a high noise that sounded like an attempt at a questioning grunt.

The corners of my mouth curved upward only the slightest, but I kept silent as I turned my back towards the speechless group. Jyou did not cease to enlarge his eyes, his glasses already having slid down to the tip of his nose. He had made no effort to arrange them in their proper place.

"I'm heading home," I said under my breath, the words not meant to reach their ears, my feet taking each floating step away from the playing fields and my childhood friends.

Pieces of the moment from just minutes before tried to coalesce in my head. His brown strands were brushing against my forehead. His mouth was pressed against my own. I could still feel his hands gripping on my upper arms, just like I still felt his tongue barely touch my parted lips.

I traced my index finger along the curvature of my bottom lip.

He kissed me.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I kissed him. I kept saying that out loud to myself. I kissed him. Yet a trickle of wetness was slowly coming down my cheek.

Fuck. I did it. His lips were soft, just like I had imagined them to be. But they weren't moving, not one bit.

I saw his face only for a split second before I ran off. Pure shock. His eyes were the biggest I had ever seen them. His mouth was gaped open like he was going to say something.

Something…

The knot in the pit of my stomach tightened and pulled the rest of my insides along with it. Like the photo of someone I had forgotten, I was being ripped to shreds.

Like my friendship with him. Fuck, that look in his eyes. Shock, surprise, and I could have sworn I had seen a glint of disgust. His best friend, a guy, one who has known him for years, was suddenly probing his face with his mouth. Why wouldn't he be disgusted?

I fucking kissed him. I might as well forget about him now. Forget about all those possibilities that had formed in my deepest thoughts throughout the past week. What could have been...

Yamato's right. I am a dumbass. A dumbass for not realizing that all that was only possible in my head. Now I fucked up what I had with him before.

I guess I had crashed into a bunch of people while running down the street towards the complex. I heard insults being flung at me, but they were barely audible from the passing traffic.

I recognized the building ahead despite, the swelling tears blurred my vision. Shit, now I was crying. And I had forgotten my car at school.

Could my mind get even more screwed up?

Though blinded by the wetness that was being to overflow, I sped up the stairs, bursting through the front door and rushing to my room. I slammed the door shut, ignoring Hikari's confused call of my name as it was doused by the closed door.

Seconds later, I head faint knocks and her hushed voice begging me to tell her what was going on. What was wrong Taichi? Are you crying?

I stood in the center of my bedroom, arms limp at my sides, hands not trying to come up to wipe the tears that were now streaming now my face.

No gasps, no shudders, no sobs. Nothing.

Just tears.

That glint in his eyes…

"FUCK."

The knocks stopped.

_...yes, so...that is the end of another chapter. I updated quicker this time, yay! Yeah, I know, kind of angsty...really angsty, but don't hate me just yet, 'cause it's not done yet. Thanks so much for reading this, guys! This has made Dichana one happy authoress person._

_I just got this review that made me feel squishy. People should write more of those. See the purple bottom below? Yes, that one, that one right there. Clicky! Or not, you don't have to, I guess...but it would be nice...okay, I'll shut up now._

_ And the fanart I mentioned last chapter, if you weren't able to see them, take out the spaces between each letter, it should work fine that way. Thanks again, Arai!  
_


	35. The Talk with the Sister Tai's POV

_...Haha...holy crap...haven't updated in months, have I? Yes, well...it's been quite busy these past few months...college stuffs, job stuffs, gots me a girlfriend. I got into Colorado College, best college in the state, so that's pretty cool...full-ride scholarship too! _

_ You know...I'm amazed that people still even bother to read this, but that's pretty sweet, so I haven't given up on this just yet. I'm starting to write it once again, now that I can. Ummm...yes, I am quite aware that the last couple chapters were angsty, and there will be a bit of angst left before the lovey-dovey stuffs and such so be bear with me, please._

_ I really have to thank everyone who's still reading and any new readers I've got, so thank very much everyone!_

_And now, on to the fic!_

_ooooooooooooooooooooooo _

My cheeks were sticky, and my eyelids were crusted shut. I felt something balmy on the side of my face, the warmth slowly creeping upward towards my enclosed eyes, coaxing them open.

Ah, the light. It burns.

The sun was coming out. Saturday morning.

I think I hear voices and laughter from the other side of the wall, smothered by the closed door. Probably the TV. Hikari was up then. What could she be watching? A soap opera, like the girls at school always talk about? She must be. She's going into high school, and everybody knows high school girls love that kind of crap.

Or maybe cartoons? We used to watch Saturday morning cartoons together every week, never missed an episode of anything that was shown from eight in the morning to 11 in the afternoon.

I wasn't six years old anymore, though. I was seventeen. Seventeen and confused as fuck. Why did I even want to be older when I was six? I could have stayed young. I could have stayed young and not have had a care in the world, except for what crazy story I could come up with in my head when I got my hands on a toy car. I could have stayed young, when I held hands with boys and girls and I didn't care.

There was a difference now.

Why couldn't I be like any other normal guy and go along with that difference?

Was I still like a little kid?

No.

A touch of the hand. It had meaning now.

Koushiro's hand. Why.

The honk of a car outside my window raised me from the bed. I had slept in my soccer uniform, not bothering to change into my pajama pants. My jersey was wrinkled. Guess I have to iron it now.

The red numbers glaring from my digital alarm clock on the bedside table told me it was half past eleven. I had slept most of the morning.

Opening the bedroom for the first time in hours, the voices from the TV amplified, even more so as I paced to the living room. What was on? Some American show, it looks like…

"So you finally woke up." I turned drowsily, coming across Hikari seated crossed-legged on one of the chairs at the kitchen table, settling down her spoon into the nearly-empty bowl of cereal.

My stomach growled. I haven't eaten anything in nearly a day. It felt like much longer.

"Yeah," I answered, sauntering to a cupboard to take out a bowl. The cereal box and milk carton were still out on the table.

"Mom and Dad called," she pressed on, despite me having my back turned. "They said they'd be heading back soon." She paused. I suppose she was waiting for me to answer. I didn't really have anything to say. "Mom asked how we were doing." I poured the milk into my full bowl. "I said I was fine, but I didn't know about you." Wrenching out a chair with one hand, I slumped into it, bringing a spoonful of cereal into my mouth. "I can't lie to Mom and tell her you're okay, so I told her you weren't." The sugary stuff I was sloshing around with my tongue felt pretty weird after not having eaten anything in a while. "And she wanted me to ask you what was wrong and if the baby's okay." I think I'm in the mood for some orange juice too.

"I'm sure Yumi's with him anyway…so what's wrong Tai?" I stopped chewing, planting my spoon down. Hikari had her elbows on the table, her chin resting on the backs of her hands, her fingers loosely laced. Arising from my seat, I walk to the fridge, pulling out the bottle of orange juice, then a clean glass from the dishwasher.

"Did you get into a fight at school?" Hikari's voice pried as I took a large swig from the glass, setting it down and wiping my mouth with my arm. "Did you get in trouble?"

I trudged my feet back to the table, slumping once more into the chair and plopped the glass of juice beside my bowl. Another spoonful of cereal.

"Taichi." She dropped her palms down on her placemat. I peered from the tops of my eyes that her thumb made the slightest cringe.

"Did you see Koushiro yesterday?"

My spoon fell with a clang into the bowl, metal slamming into ceramic. I choked down the partially masticated cereal flakes and kept my eyes locked onto the rest bobbing in the bowl. Groping for the glass, my hand wraps around the cup, bringing it to my lips. I slammed down the cup, again snatching the spoon.

God, I couldn't have made it even more obvious.

A pause. "Taichi, what's going on?" I sensed a note of worry overtaking her voice. "You were crying, I saw it." Damn. "Did something with Kou – …"

"FUCK, HIKARI, NOTHING HAPPENED." Somehow the spoon had landed outside the bowl.

Her fingers curled into her palms, but her eyes did not flinch, not even at my cursing. Not once. "I know very well that's not true." I was now facing her across from me. She looked straight into my eyes. "What happened."

I hated the fact that I couldn't possibly win this. She won't let me leave the room, let alone drop the subject, without her finding out what exactly occurred yesterday. I knew that. I hated the fact that I had absolutely no escape.

It wasn't as if I could just walk out on her and go on some pointless drive. I had left my car at school anyway. My backpack, including my keys, was still sitting in a gym locker there. Well, shit.

Why on earth did I get a sister who could string everything out of me?

Slouching into my chair, I crossed my arms, pursing my lips.

She repeated those same two words. "What happened."

I muttered the answer. "I kissed him."

Hikari raised an eyebrow, leaning in a bit closer as she rested her weight on her hands. "What?"

"I fucking kissed him, okay?" There was something searing about my voice. Well, not every guy would like to admit something like that. I don't want to be one of the guys that do.

At least…I don't think I do…

Her face turned pink as her eyes swelled a fraction. "You did?"

I didn't want to answer that. I didn't want to have to say 'yes'.

"Well?"

I twisted my face in puzzlement at her reply. Well what?

"What did he do?" She seemed straight out amazed, moving in farther and farther, resembling an elementary school kid eavesdropping on a really good secret.

I sway my face away somewhat, my fingers tapping fairly quickly on my placemat. I stared at them, rather than answer my sister.

"Did he reject you?" She raised her eyebrows, if they can go any higher than they already were.

Wait a minute, what? "NO!" I jerked my neck in her direction, and there was this tingly sensation brushing across my entire face. Actions speak louder than words; my mom always told me that. Ever since I was three years old and stole a fistful of cookies from the cupboard before dinner and looked wholly guilty about it. I was fidgeting with the rim of my shirt, hands speckled with crumbs. And I couldn't look directly in her skeptical eyes.

"Actions speak louder than words, Taichi."

So they did. What about Koushiro's actions? Or rather, were there any actions to speak of? He just stood there, motionless. Didn't move his lips, not even his eyes.

What actions spoke there?

Yet…I said "no". No, he didn't reject me. Why I still had that faint glimmer of hope…I have no idea. It just was.

I didn't want him to reject me. I didn't him to leave. I didn't want him to go. I don't. It'd be breaking that bond that was created between the eight of us, the bond only we could share since we were Digidestined.

We'd lose one. And really, what was one without knowledge?

I didn't want it to break. For him to break away…

"Taichi?" My sister's familiar tone popped that hazy bubble. I could always count on her to do so.

"I ran away before he could say anything." Milk had pooled around the spoon, and my eyes gazed at the bright glint on the far edge of the silverware where the light from the ceiling shined against it. Snagging the splashed utensil, I plunked it back into the half-eaten bowl of soggy cereal that somehow still managed to remain standing on the placemat.

"You…" there was a pause, and I could almost hear Hikari's brow crinkle in confusion. "…ran -…"

My voice cut through before she could go any further. "I just came up to him and ate his face. Do you think I'd want to stay to see what he had to say?"

She peered down at her fingernails, tips suddenly tapping with a faint "thump" on the vinyl. "Well, it would have been - …"

And like a blade, I sliced through once more. "He didn't move when I…kissed him." The last two words were more or less muffled when a fisted hand came up to cover my mouth. My eyes shifted back and forth as I looked downward and away from the girl sitting opposite from me.

Lifting myself from the chair, I carried my bowl and empty glass to the sink and emptied the dish of what was left of my breakfast. Mom would have yelled at me for having wasted a good portion of food. But I really wasn't in the mood for mushy corn flakes.

And then there was this period of silence. You know that humming sound that you hear when everything is quiet? No talking, no TV, no radio, nothing. Just humming. That's what I was hearing during this awkward moment. I was at the sink, Hikari perched cross-legged at the table, brown eyes intent on her polished nails.

At least that was the image I had in my mind.

"But…" Her voice was cracking. I guess she was having trouble stringing words together. "…maybe he was just speechless by the fact that you're a wonderful kisser!"

'SNAP!' went my neck as I yanked it around to face my younger sister's wide grin. I have to say that hearing her even suggest the thought was a little disturbing. And she seemed to be enjoying the shit out of it. Her teeth were positively gleaming.

What was it with brothers and sisters that make them so entertained by crushes? I mean…wait, did I even know Hikari even like Takeru in that way?

…No. No, I did not. And that makes me even more fucking irritated. Well, let me say that I did know about that beforehand, I'd have given her shit like this. Oh yes.

"And just what the hell gave you that idea!" There was a hint of a failed scream in my retort, just enough so that there was a squeaky undertone in my words.

I sounded like some insane wiener dog.

I, for sure as hell, know I enjoyed it when it happened. His lips were really soft, kind of like feathers. Never thought I'd ever make that kind of simile.

Koushiro's lips were as soft as feathers.

It was very nice, I'd have to say. Hikari wouldn't know that thought. At least, I'd hope not.

With a rather playful chuckle, my sister leered at me like a Cheshire cat and unwound her legs from her sitting position to set the balls of her feet on the tiled kitchen floor. She brought up her two main fingers up to the side of her contorted face and twisted a piece of her light brown hair between them. In this way, she resembled an over-sized four-year-old who was gazing into an open candy shop, tapping her toes lightly on the ceramic, eyebrows in happy arches.

"You did run away before he could say a word, right?" Right. I did. Mashed my lips against his, ran my tongue across them for a second, then left. Where the hell was she going with this?

I figure the bewildered expression on my face gave away this particular demur that whirled inside my mind now. That, or the fact that the whites now took up the majority of my eyes could have tipped her off. She promptly continued. "Then, you don't really know the actual reason why he froze in the first place, do you?"

Well…no.

"Then you can't assume that he was disgusted by it," she chimed, almost bouncing off her chair. I really haven't seen her act this way since she had Mimi, Miyako and Sora over at our apartment for a sleepover complete with an eight-hour chick flick marathon just a couple months ago.

All the tittering, the sighing, the high squeals. The spazzing and gushing over a kiss.

It was unnerving.

Her lips persisted in their spree. "He probably wouldn't have minded another." I could have sworn to freaking God that she winked at me with her usually bright mahogany eyes. "All the more reason to ask him if he really did like it!"

Yeah, she probably already deemed that I was planning on never coming within three miles of him ever again. Even when it came to school; I'd just change around my schedule a bit. Or move to the other side of the classroom, whichever would be easiest.

"You don't even know, so why not ask him?" And with that Hikari made her point.

Damn it. Why does absolutely everything that came out of her mouth have to have so much logic to it?

It makes so much sense…I just don't want to go through with it.

I mean, really…what the fuck would I say? 'Hey Kou, man, I'm sorry I lunged at you and sucked on your face, even though I'd totally do it again without clothes on. Let's forget it ever happened, okay?'

Yup, that's exactly what I'd say. And then we'd skip away hand-in-hand into a fucking butterfly field with a sparkly rainbow overhead in the distance.

But then…

I've kissed him already, didn't I? It's all done and over with. He knows that I wouldn't mind tackling him into a bed. That I'm…well…attracted…to him.

The secret's out.

What have I got to lose now?

Maybe I looked deep in thought, or something, since I noticed Hikari tilting her head to one side, the thumping of her bare feet against the cool tile coming to a halt. "What are you going to do, Taichi?"

"You're right," I said half to myself. "Like always." The corners of my lips allowed themselves to curve up in just the slightest motion to give my sister a small smile. "I'm going to have to talk to him some time, aren't I." It's not like I can avoid him forever. We're part of a tight-knit circle of friends. It's not possible.

"So you're going to do it?" Hikari clasped her fingers together, eyes nearly filled with stars.

"Yeah, I guess." I let a tiny laugh escape as a hand came up to scratch the back of my head. "I've got nothing to lose anyway."

Not anymore, at least.

In a flash, I felt a pair of arms around me, my sister's cheek suddenly buried into the fabric of my wrinkled soccer jersey. It was like the moment that was supposed to make you go 'Awww!' in a really cheesy family sitcom.

"Taichi…" she squeezed tighter. "I hope everything turns out for the best." Turning her neck upward, she bore her large orbs into mine. "And when mom and dad get back next week, I promise I'll help you out."

She's acting as if Koushiro and I are actually going to get together.

Damn, this IS like a cheesy family sitcom.

"Plus, I think Yumi would want to see you again," she giggled, her lips simpering once again. "I'm sure she misses you. And I'm sure Koushiro needs help with her."

Hikari, always so optimistic. But that's why she has the Crest of Light, right?

That little girl…Yumi. I'd like to see her again, too. Before the project is over.

Saturday. The project is over.

The clock hanging above the microwave told me it was about a quarter past twelve. And when was this celebration thing, exactly?

Some time tonight…at the beach just south of school…

I really should get going, shouldn't I…I felt my arms stiffen.

What the fuck am I going to say to Koushiro?

"So what was it like, Taichi? Did he taste good?"

…

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS."

_oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_

_Yesh, so! Um...yeah. And the angst is beginning to lift, sort of! Leave the authoress a review and she might bring another chapter in a few days...nah, she will anyway._

_...But a review would be nice anyhow...the authoress will shut up now. _


	36. Analyzing Izzy's POV

I suspect that I may have made my mother nervous the previous night as well as this morning. My father also showed signs of concern over my behavior.

I admit, however, that have I been witness to such actions, I'd be pondering the same.

Coming home to my family's apartment the day before, I had stalked through the doorway, baby basket hanging limply at my side. Yumi lay still within the single blanket, quietly sucking on her thumb.

The journey home from the soccer field was certainly a surreal one. The tip of my index finger seemed to be glued to my lips as it continued its slow, circular path round and around them. My eyes stared downward solely at my black shoes as they traveled across the surprisingly plush pavement, the cars driving past a ghostly siren to my ears. Meshed together with this siren were the voices of the various people that barely avoided a collision with my small form, shouts, yells, horns and beeps.

They all blended together as it all swirled by.

The foreign taste lingered on my tongue from having rolled it back and forth on my moist bottom lip. And I did not cease in fingering the warm piece of flesh even as I entered the front door of the apartment, hardly acknowledging my parents' greeting of 'how was your day at school' with a simple nod of the head. Mother had asked what was wrong, but I answered with a curt 'everything's fine' before walking past her and Father and excusing myself and the baby girl to my bedroom.

That night I only exited my taciturn space twice; to use the restroom and dispose of Yumi's soiled diaper and to retrieve a spoon and water for her formula. Though Mother's tone sounded worrisome through the enclosed door, my legs did not stir an inch to give her access to the room. I only reassured her several times that nothing happened; that I was just tired after a long day at school with hardly any sleep the night before.

I was alleviated that Father stepped in to try to cam her down. His muffled voice, hardly audible, whispered words into her ear, I would imagine, words that coaxed her to leave the door and sit in the comfort of the living room sofa.

I would imagine.

A secret kept from them. Just like they had kept one from me.

Mixing the formula in the plastic bottle, I'd scarcely spoken a word to the little redhead, only feeding her the milky substance, the baby girl herself having to grunt to me loudly when she was satisfied. I had tucked her into her crib, pastel-colored blankets swimming around her, but the only thing I had uttered to her was 'Good-night'. And as if she understood, Yumi eyed me once more up and down before shifting her auburn head to one side and slowly shutting her swelled brown orbs.

After a few moments I found my own eyes staring off into some unknown point in the dimness of the bedroom, hands stagnant unmoving towards the immaculate yellow laptop on the bedside table.

That kiss still invaded my thoughts, my mind.

It repeated itself many times over within the haze permeating my head. His fingers wrapped tightly around my upper arms, the long brown strands tickling my forehead. His lips against my own. Then that split-second instant when he separated himself from me and ran his tongue along the line of my bottom lip…

I've never been in such close proximity with another individual. It created a tingle that slithered down my spine and up again.

And with that Taichi sprinted off, my gaze of stupor only catching his jersey fluttering off. My best friend had given me my first kiss and sped off before I could realize what was going on, before I could collect myself.

Collect myself and kiss him back, I suppose. I couldn't help but wonder what I would have done if I had had sufficient time to react. What are you supposed to do when another does this to you?

Accept it? Fight it?

Embrace him in return?

I would think…that would be the most logical option, wouldn't it?

The action of actually kissing someone, from what I've heard, involves much emotion between the two people and has prerequisite of sorts. From having caught Yamato and Sora on a couple of occasions while heading to class, I can conclude that the one you would share a kiss with is one who is a close friend, a trusted companion. The interaction between Yamato and Sora also implied that they were quite fond of each other, a requirement that undoubtedly made sense. I know for a fact that I would be considerably uncomfortable being in such close quarters with someone whom I did not get along with.

And they seemed to share a sort of bond, as if they fully understand each other.

Then, they kiss.

I wonder…if these conditions applied to Taichi and I…

Well…we're certainly friends. At least I would think so. However very much different, him and I, we proved to be close. He is extroverted; I call myself introverted. He is a soccer legend in school; I've earned the title of "Computer Geek" the first week of attending Odaiba High. He was prone to involving himself in a few physical squabbles with fellow classmates, even after those rather violent encounters with Yamato in the Digital World. I would find a way to solve problems using the technique of conversation.

My opposite. Yet, I am able to say that he is my closest companion, the one I can freely say anything to.

Which leads to the next prerequisite. Taichi being such a close friend, he would have to be someone that I am indeed fond of. I enjoy spending my time with him, whether it is in the ever-changing lands of the world inside every computer or in his room fighting imaginary battles in his latest video game. I have pure confidence bubbling inside of me whenever I'm around him. No one else seems to have that sort of effect on me. He is my reactor.

And then, this could certainly explain the bond between him and I. We've come to accept and embrace our obvious differences, differences that would usually drive teenagers apart in the uncertainty that is high school. He understands me, I understand him.

Or rather, I thought I once did.

Never once have I imagined that he wanted to kiss me, but I guess I had never once speculated about Taichi in that light before. There were times when I remained fixated as he wove through his opponents during a soccer match after classes, gracefully maneuvering the ball. And I remember feeling odd twinges in my stomach whenever he suggested spending the day looking at females in the park or at the beach.

That emotion may have been jealousy, but we have to look at the situation like a simple equation before we can make broad assumptions. When an individual desires to give attention to someone else rather than you and you feel a sort of anger or sadness at that point, then that emotion is considered jealousy, the jealousy stemming from the fact that you were not receiving attention from the individual. This means that you want the individual to yourself, no one else around so that you can have their undivided immersion.

It's a unique kind of attachment that one feels, an attachment that only occurs in two sorts of situations, those being to a parent from a child or from one person who is "in love" with another.

Now when you have the solutions to the equation, the solution that does not make sense according to the domain of the equation must be cancelled out.

The glint of sunlight that managed to squeeze through the enclosed blinds shot open my half-lidded eyes, the sudden flash of bright light jumbling my rationalization for that small moment. Pale blues and oranges glowed through the slits, illuminating the bedroom as they signaled the beginnings of a Saturday morning. The faint chirping of birds outside my window awakened the new day, almost urging the rest of the world to stir from their slumber.

As expected, Mother called my name from the other side of the door, knocking softly three times before asking what I wanted for breakfast. I sensed that Father was also nearby, awaiting my reply in hopes that nothing was disturbing his only son. They won't be left in the dark forever.

In a mellow tone I disclosed to Mother that I didn't feel in the least bit hungry at that moment, but that I'll most likely wish for something later on. And after a dense pause I added that I needed to do a few hours of research for a paper on Lenin's rise to power due in two weeks. Funny how we were really studying China under Mao.

Another minute of silence crept by before she quietly answered with a solemn "okay", stepping away from the door. Father will comfort her; she'll be fine. I just needed to sort out my thoughts.

Indeed I was fortunate that the little girl still remained sound asleep even as the rays of sun stained across her face grew more luminous.

The equation was solved anyway.

Now, to fit in that variable into the expression.

_OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

_ Haha! I'm on a roll! I updated within a week! Yay. So, um, yes. Nothing happening yet. But stuff will go on, I promise. Jeex.  
_


	37. Coming to Conclusions

_Hey all. Yeah, I know, it's been a while. How long has it been, like, almost two years? A year and a half? I apologize to all my readers who'd like to see this thing wrapped up. I'd like to finish it soon too. I've been really busy, though, ever since I entered college. Lab classes are absolutely murdering me, and I had a job last summer and had to take a course back at school, just so I could graduate on time with my major and minor._

_So...yay for update? XD Seriously, I look back at this story, and I'm just like "...uwah, what was I on when I wrote this?" Especially with the first few chapters. Then again, I keep in mind that this was just an outlet for relaxation and a "break" from IB in high school. I'm not much of a writer X3 But I shall finish this fic. _

_ Heh...I wrote this chapter...a year ago? Just got back to it and fixed a few things today. Sorry for any mistakes; I have a beta, but I wanted to post something now that I can, so I couldn't get in contact with her right away XD;;;_

_ Disclaimer: I dun own Digimon, but if I did, there would be more Taichi/Koushiro-ness, Tentomon would probably have a thing for Gomamon, and there would be an episode of Death Note cosplay. _

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The constant humming of traffic rushing past below his three-story window was a common noise at this time of day. That was why it was dubbed "rush-hour", wasn't it? The beeps of desperate people riddled with utmost impatience consumed the air, somehow spilling into the lit bedroom. It had awakened Yumi from her afternoon nap a half hour before.

The auburn-haired little girl was now sitting pristinely on her teenage caretaker's bed, mouthing a filled bottle of milk. Curiosity was written across her face as she stared intently at the computer genius struggling to type coherent phrases on his trusted Pineapple laptop.

Koushiro still had doubt clouding his head, doubt concerning what exactly his actions in the next few hours were going to be. Very rarely did he ever ask for assistance or a second opinion on any type of matter, but never before had something left him so utterly puzzled. The boy possessed no discernible idea where to start.

He sought advice from the only source he knew would remain confidential; the Internet, or more precisely, friends from the Internet. After all, it's not as if any of the people he communicated with using Instant Messenger or e-mail live nearby enough to jeopardize his desire for secrecy. They were spread out around the world; he would simply talk to someone halfway around the globe. However, he still requested from his chosen confidants their promise not to discuss his predicament to anyone else. One can never be sure; he had to take utmost precautions.

Conversing with a teenage girl in America (since he had to have his English skills in check, as well) he explained to her the situation from his eyes and how to fit in the certain variable into the whole complicated equation.

And after she shared her opinion of what his course of action should be, he asked others the same tantalizing question only to be given the same advice time after time. It was odd how half of each conversation the redhead engaged consisted of typed-out squeals and squeaks over the situation on the other's behalf. However, with that, the teenager constructed his plan and folded the laptop shut after bidding farewell to his final friend.

Koushiro swiveled his chair towards the baby girl in the corner of his eye, black orbs drifting past the small digital clock propped beside his bed, bright blue number forming the time 5:30. Yumi popped the piece of rubber topping the bottle out of her mouth, now slick with saliva.

"You need to get ready, don't you," the digidestined of knowledge smiled fully at his project. Their project. He rested his hands on his pajama-clad thighs, peering straight into the big brown eyes of the little girl. Yumi caught his own black spheres, her mouth curving upward in a flash into a high, gleeful laugh after hearing the tiny lilt in his voice. Tossing the plastic bottle aside onto the unmade bed, she raised her arms upward as her fingers grasped around as invisible pillow, signaling for her temporary parent to take her in his arms.

With a light chuckle, Koushiro scooped her up, cradling her with utmost care as he nuzzled her cheek with the tip of his nose. It was nearing the end of the final Saturday of this unusual assignment, and the boy felt a dull pain throbbing in his chest from having to say good-bye to Yumi in mere hours. It was with the baby girl that he has experienced such an array of emotions in such a small amount of time. So many moments of laughter, sadness and confusion and now he had to hand her over to his teacher in the basket in which she came to receive a grade. Just a meaningless number written in red ink on a piece of paper…

"Stop thinking of that," the redhead mumbled to himself, shaking his head slightly to either side as he squeezed his eyes shut. There were only a few seconds of silence except for the nearly inaudible puffs of air resonating form the little girl as her chest minutely rose and fell before he held her up at arm's length above his head and grinned. "I'm going to have to dress you up now, aren't I?"

He looked down at his own body, finally noticing that he still wore his sleeping attire, consisting of an over-sized white T-shirt and a worn pair of green flannel pants. His fiery red hair stuck up in obtuse angles all around his head form not having seen a hairbrush in the past twenty-four hours. "I probably need a nicer change of clothes, as well," the student exclaimed, eyeing the light grey tinge the shirt has acquired from years of use. Though having worn it for so many years, Koushiro somehow managed to swim around in it even to this day, He had grown a number of inches taller, nearly rivaling his father's height, but he remained slight of built.

Lowering the little girl to his level, he giggled as he bounced her lightly within the firm grip of his hands, Yumi reaching for the large folds of the T-shirt, tiny palms outstretched.

A sort of muted murmured growl sounded in the enclosed bedroom, both the adolescent and the baby suddenly freezing in place. Koushiro raised his eyebrows, dark orbs centering on his midsection, the noise rumbling once more. With a sheepish grin, he looked into the curious eyes, waiting for an answer.

"And I need sustenance, as well," the boy squeaked in surprise. "Can't deprive myself of that forever." Yumi replied with a mirthful titter, an abrupt burp following her laughs.

The digidestined turned the knob to the door, disintegrating the solitude from his family, opening said door for the first time in half a day. Stepping outside, baby cradled comfortably in one arm, Koushiro immediately heard familiar voices, as well as others partly overtaken by static. The radio in the kitchen was on. Something about a chance of stormy weather coming in during the next few days. The clear voices from the direction of the living room exchanged muffled words, half-engulfed by the report of the weather forecast.

They sharply ceased as the creaking of the door vibrated throughout the entirety of the small household. The redhead strode to the main room, the corners of his mouth turning upward at the sudden call of his name. His mother's voice.

His parents were sitting side-by-side on the single couch placed in front of the unanimated television screen when he set a bare foot into the space, the distraught woman twisted around to face her teenage son with hoping eyes.

"Anything I might be able to have for lunch, Mom?" he said a mirthful tone, baby beaming in the crook of his arm. "I just finished all my research and I'm a bit hungry." Rubbing his stomach with his free palm, he simpered slowly.

At seeing the soft smile gracing her son's once stoic face, the auburn-haired woman couldn't halt herself from wrapping her arms around the boy's lithe body in a tender embrace. The baby was not at all opposed to being pressed in between two warm bodies.

"Anything you want," she replied with a quick squeeze before sliding her gentle hands to his shoulders, peering her eyes into the subdued onyx of the teenager's orbs. "You okay now? You had me so worried!"

Koushiro continued holding the baby girl flush to his steady chest, nodding his head in reassurance. "I'm fine," he responded in a bright tone. "Just exhausted from a long week of school." A pause. "Had quite a bit on my mind, too." The last words were spoken much softer than the rest.

The older woman darted her eyes for a fraction of a second to her husband standing beside her, the digidestined's father acknowledging the minute eye contact with an encouraging curl of the lips. The gaze piercing her son's eyes sharpened as she spoke to the redheaded boy once more. "Anything you need to talk about?"

Hesitance seemed to swallow the tense moments whole before quietly adding one more thought. "We're always here if you need to talk about whatever's on your mind."

A tiny lump rose to his throat as the teenager looked into his mother's anxious gaze, knowing full that this was something he could not disclose to his parents. Not quite yet. And he could not help but wonder….when would be a good time?

When could he possibly tell his parents about this entire predicament? His feelings? His thoughts? His realizations? About himself? About this boy?

Taichi?

Squeezing his eyes shut, Koushiro swallowed the small lump, a warm smile disguising the worry that swelled inside of him that very second. 'Worry about that later…think about the present.' "Nothing at the moment, Mom," he shook his head in reassurance. "But thanks."

The older woman stared into the opaque orbs of her adolescent son, trying to decipher their meaning, hoping to understand what was going on with her only child. And all she could see was….uncertainty…..but a firm confidence. He had a decision made. He will know what to do with whatever crossed his path. Koushiro will ask for advice when he feels he will need it. And with that his mother chose not to probe any further.

"Well, c'mon then, let's put Yumi in her high-chair, so that we can all get something to eat." She ran a hand through her son's dark red locks, a warmth overwhelming her chest when she saw a full smile grace his lips.

It wasn't often that the young academic's mother witnessed her child being…so sure of himself. Completely.

He knows what to do.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Okies, that's what I have so far. Sorry for the lack of...cuddling. Or something. Um yeah, I have a rough draft for the next few chapters, so yays. Review if you want? XD_


	38. Closer and Closer

_YES, fail is me, so much fail. I updated like, 4 months ago, I know. At least it wasn't more than a year, like last time? -shot- Yeah._

_SORRY, oh my God, but I've been so freaking busy lately, 'cause real life kinda sucks right now. Took Organic Chemistry II, I wanted to shoot myself, then Cell Biology, and that was mildly unpleasant. And now I'm taking a summer class, to get rid of a graduation requirement. So that I can graduate on time. Need to declare my major and my minor, need to secure work-study during the upcoming school year, need to start thinking about cosplay for NDK...need to just not go insane._

_But then a review I got just now kicked my ass into gear, into posting this chapter. 'Cause I'm awesome like that._

_Thank you so much all of you that have been keeping up with this. And those of you who've been like "LASJFAKSFJASD UPDATE." It means a lot. :D_

**Disclaimer:** _Don't own Digimon. But if I did, I'd dress Koushiro as Near and Taichi as Mello and make them do things. Hurhur._

_Okies, on the chapter._

* * *

"…………what."

Really, that was the only thing that could come out of Taichi's mouth with the merchandise, the collection of cards expressing a long list of emotions displayed in front of him.

Cards of apology, begging for forgiveness, scattered with pictures of teddy bears and flowers and ribbons. Cards wishing 'happy birthday' to a number of people, including friends, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, and just about every other member of the family. Cards revealing feelings of friendship and…something more than friendship…complete with pink and red hearts adorning the cursive writing printed inside. The cover of nearly every card exclaiming "I LOVE YOU!" or saying some clever (but most of the time, pretty damn corny) joke that only made the soccer player cringe slightly underneath his thin jacket and jeans.

What the hell would Koushiro say if he was handed a card with a naughty joke proclaiming he not only wanted to jump his bones, but he cared for him more than anything? With a suggestive picture of a grinning banana on the inside?

Perhaps he would think Taichi is the biggest lecher he has ever met. And he would blush. The mere thought of the redhead looking up at him with those large black eyes and a shade of pink dusting his cheeks conjured that familiar interesting feeling between his legs, the tall brunette having to shift his eyes right and left to see if anyone was around him so that he was able to use his coat to casually cover the rather uncomfortable bulge that was beginning to form in his pants.

Okay, so maybe being in the card aisle wasn't such a good idea…why was he in the card aisle anyway? Why would he even give Koushiro such a thing? Oh right…Hikari had suggested it, since he had said he wasn't too skilled at the art of expressing feelings in spoken words. Of course, Taichi had talent for oration; but only if he was addressing a battle against some monster or great enemy. Emotions? Talking about them? He was an absolute novice. As was seen in his actions during that soccer game the day before.

"Whatever," he mumbled, hoping no one would see him crossing one leg over the other, warmth rising to his cheeks and forehead. "Screw the card." He'll just tell him himself…and pray to freaking God that nothing absolutely stupid came out of his big mouth. Or pray that he wouldn't lunge his face onto his again.

"Though I wouldn't mind that," he said quietly to himself. And the bulge pulsed a bit. "Shutting up now." The messy-haired adolescent made awkward steps to the exit of the small store, wishing he had decided to put on a looser-fitting pair of jeans…not that these were that tight. But they were a bit more fitted than what he was used to. Hikari had picked out his outfit for this little class get-together. Fitted jeans and a rather slim-fitted shirt. Afterwards, she had practically flung him out the door, slamming the door behind him and locking the door with that ominous click.

No doubt she had giggled to herself madly, as she strode back to the living and turned on the television, awaiting her older brother's return with good news.

……what. Well…..Hikari's just evil. Taichi grumbled under his breath. It's not as if he had the time to run back to the apartment, bitch at Hikari and change into loose clothing to hide the very obvious hardness that he was working very hard to hide as he paced down the busy street. He'll take it like a man…and face Koushiro.

Fuck, what time was it anyway? The teen looked at his cell-phone, yanking it out of his uncomfortably small pocket on his hip.

His pupils shrunk, a tiny squeak emitted from the back of his throat, as he saw the unforgiving black numbers against light gray background. 6:57. This whole party thing, whatever the hell it was, was in three minutes. And counting. At the beach, which was 23 whole city blocks away.

What. WHAT.

How long was he in that store anyway?! Why didn't he check the time? How did he not notice that the sky was just a tad bit too dark for 4:15 in the afternoon?

Was he really that caught up in thinking about Koushiro naked on his bed, gripping onto the sheets beneath that slim body of his, looking up at Taichi with those dark orbs that seemed to beg for more, fiery red hair tousled in such a way…?

"I AM SO FUCKTARDED." And with that exclamation, the soccer player began his mad dash across 23 blocks towards the beach with a frantic hand covering the telltale tent in his jeans.

* * *

"Koushiro!" Mimi's voice greeted the computer genius as he stepped a sandled foot onto the soft white sand, baby girl in one arm as he carried the basket in the other hand. The redhead snapped his neck upwards, taking in the beautiful sight before him; the ocean lapping its waves gently upon the junction between land and water underneath the dimming sky. City lights illuminated the bodies and familiar faces now coming together at this beach. Laughter and the hum of conversation permeated the air, forcing Koushiro out of his pensive state.

He saw the bubbly girl skip towards him, an arm waving in exaggerated motions as she smiled widely, visibly pleased to see the fellow Digidestined at the event. He returned the smile with a simper of his own, greeting his friend with a whole-hearted 'hello'.

Mimi, after all, had been worried about how everything would follow after that revealing moment behind the bleachers the day before. Worried like everyone, now following her to meet the Computer Club president, had been.

Sora was carrying Kenji, standing beside a purse-lipped Yamato, the blonde obviously still tense about Taichi's actions. "Well, good to see you here," he remarked to Koushiro, arms crossing. "Maybe the crazy-haired dumbass will be here too." This was met with a punch to the arm by his partner. Rubbing his arm, the guitarist looked beyond the smaller boy, hoping to see the soccer player strut around a corner, drive from a distance, something.

Nothing.

Jou, carrying the styled little Sakura in his arms, joined in the conversation concerning their once-brave leader. "He'll come. He has to," he piped in a matter-of-fact tone. "For one thing, this is a part of his grade. I'm not sure Ms. Nakamura would appreciate it if Yumi said good-bye to only Koushiro."

"And since when did Taichi care so much about grades?" Yamato questioned in a sharp, unwavering voice.

"…..true."

There was a silence hovering above the group for a few seconds that blocked out the buzz of chatter before them, but the smaller boy cut through the uncomfortable lack of voices with a small curl of lips, nuzzling the baby girl closer to his chest. "He'll come, I'm sure he will." He strode past the group, a surprised expression overtaking the taller blonde's visage. No one knew what was going on inside Koushiro's head since the day before, since that sudden kiss from his best friend. Since he realized that Taichi had those kinds of feelings for him.

What did the quiet teen have in mind at that moment? What did he have in mind before? What could he possibly be thinking? God knows his friends thirsted for a sign, a clue, anything that might just hint them towards what might happen next with their genius and resident idiot. Nothing pointed them towards anything; Koushiro held that pristine expression on his face, calm demeanor failing to supply them with any new information about the situation at hand.

They had to wait.

"If he thinks he will, I guess……," Sora paused, glancing at her friends before her eyes settled on Koushiro with baby in tow, who happily greeted classmates and their teacher. "I guess he will."

"We'll see."

They will. The redhead didn't want to share his answer to the complicated expression just yet.

* * *

"Ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck." This was Taichi's mantra as he raced towards the specific spot on the beach, towards his partner and their project. He was going to apologize and say sorry and beg for forgiveness and say sorry again and just what the hell was he thinking? He really didn't know. His mind was racing a million miles a minute, Koushiro's face flashing inside his head with every fleeting step that brought him closer to his desired destination.

Cars jarred to a stop as he crossed countless streets without looking in any direction except for the one straight ahead. Jeers and rather creative insults were flung his way, and he continued unscathed, not even slowing down to retort with a certain finger.

He cursed under his breath, noticing the slowly darkening sky, the sunset enveloping everything in angry tones of orange and pink. His phone told him it was 16 past 7. Everyone was probably there, together with their partners….meaning Koushiro was there alone.

"SHIT." He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking that image out of his head before willing his legs to move faster. He had no plan at this point. Everything Hikari had advised him to do, to say, had disappeared from his mind.

All he wanted to do was see his friend.

* * *

_Before any of you shoot me...I sorry again that the pace is uber-slow, but I wanted to write the story that way, I dunno why. AND I'M SORRY MY WRITING FAILS. I've been in nothing but science classes for over a year and a half. ;; No creative writing, whatsoever. Or...any writing for that matter._

_Leave a review, if you want 'Cause Dichana likes to hear from peeps. It makes her smile, especially now when college is a brutal pain in the ass. :D  
_


	39. hoho i dunno

_Well then. I haven't updated in like a bajillion years and oh my god I'm sorry, it's 'cause I really didn't know how to wrap this thing up with the little kids and and aaahhhh. I had something written and I was all "oh god this is the stupidest thing ever dear lord", but I just wanted to get this done. So I know this is a silly way out, I KNOW. Really you guys, you know it's gonna end up silly and all what-the-fuck-like if this story began like the way it did._

_Dohoho yeah I 'unno._

_Let's just continue with this, shall we. _

**ooooooooooooooo**

"7:20." Yamato sighed to himself, scanning his blue eyes around the streets, trying to catch any sight of the brunette. He sighed again when he saw nothing even resembling that crazy hairstyle unique to the soccer athlete. "Taichi, where the fuck are you."

Sora heard the harshly whispered question only meant for the blonde's own ears, the teenage girl holding Kenji closer to her body out of worry for her friend.

She turned to Koushiro, sitting alone with Yumi, clad in shorts and a soccer jersey, on a towel he had laid out a few yards away from the large group of students enjoying conversation, refreshments and music. The baby girl was resting comfortably between his legs, quietly looking up at her guardian as he read to her from a picture book in a soft tone. The scene brought a slight sting to the pit of her stomach, and it was that feeling of helplessness that arose around her. It wasn't as if she could do anything about this. She simply had to be forced to remain a spectator.

Jou jerked her out of her musings with a call to the rest of the group that everyone was coming together for their teacher to make an announcement. She walked towards the gathering, craning her neck to see Ms. Nakamura surveying her students, pleased to see everyone present…well, for the most part. Her smile vanished for a split second when she caught sight of her red-headed student coming towards the group. Alone. But the teacher continued.

"Glad to see…mostly everyone here tonight." She calmly exclaimed, after everyone had silenced around her. This caused students to look around, trying to pinpoint that face that wasn't present at that moment. "I'm sure you all have mixed feelings about this event. You all are about to be set free from the clutches of parenthood, but you also have to bid farewell to your children. Or they were your children just the day before." A rustling of voices sounded. She chuckled lightly. "And so it is today that marks the end of your two-week experience."

Odd, no resounding cheer of joy from a certain blue-haired teenager.

"I'm sure each one of you has learned something, if not a lot, about children, teamwork, and yourselves along this 14-day journey. There is always self-discovery when you raise a child, and it is with this discovery that you begin to view life and the world differently. I hope you all keep this experience close and remember it graciously, because it truly was, for all you, a first step as young men and women."

A sniffle from a female classmate among the group of students was heard following the quiet pause. Koushiro held the baby girl closer, a bittersweet grin touching his face.

"I'm going to call out your baby's name, and you will come up as a pair with their basket and supplies. The rest of the night is yours to enjoy here." She looked around, eyes glancing beyond the gazes of her students, in hopes to see Taichi Yagami racing towards the group.

And nothing.

"I hope you all had a wonderful two weeks." And with that she called the first name.

Koushiro didn't take one glance behind him, not even for a second, to see if his friend would be kicking sand as he stumbled towards him. He wasn't thinking as his eyes were fixated on the teacher slowly listing off names. All that filled his mind was a haze that surged him through the past couple of weeks of his life. He had been paired with his best friend for this experience and had spent more time with him than he ever had, excluding their adventure in the Digital World. He had seen sides of his leader, his companion, that he never thought he would see. Seen him smile, laugh, brood, ignore him, confuse him, everything. Kiss him.

He was falling for him.

A hand on his shoulder was what took him out of this journey of memories. As well as the name of the baby girl resting in his arms ringing in his ears. The familiar brown eyes beaming at him, as a tanned hand wrapped long fingers around his wrist pulling him forward through the crowd towards the pleasantly surprised teacher. Those same hands plucking baby Yumi from his arms, laughing happily as the soccer player nuzzled his nose with hers, setting her in the basket from which she came. A wave to the little girl, whose presence brought so many discoveries. And an arm casually wrapped around his shoulder.

"So glad to have you join us Taichi," Ms. Nakamura exclaimed at her student. "Better late than never." She laughed lightly, seeing the soccer player wipe sweat from his brow.

"Sure thing!" the brunette replied, a wide grin plastered on his reddened face as he flung a thumbs-up to the young woman. He turned around, leading the redhead in the crook of his arm back into the group of students, catching glimpse of a few classmates wiping tears from their eyes, calling good-bye to the babies they were now separated from. The pair turned on their heels, waving a final farewell to the little girl, before making their way to the back.

"Grades will be posted in another week. Enjoy the rest of your night and weekend." With a smile, Ms. Nakamura signaled for the babies to be taken away. During her speech and the calling of names, vehicles had pulled up, several people exiting to receive the baskets, to be taken back to wherever they came from. The students stood quietly, perplexed as the scene unfolded in front of them.

It was Yamato who spoke. "You know….I wonder where the hell Nakamura got all of them."

They had disappeared almost as quickly as they appeared, and the rest of the students had disbanded, conversing once more, a bit more quietly than before. Music continued to sound, a few students swaying and dancing to the beat.

"Weird." Yamato shook his head.

It was quiet for a few seconds among the Digidestined group, until everyone turned to face their former leader. "So you decided to show up." Mimi had a cross tone that tinged her voice.

Taichi raised a hand in defense. "Hey, I'm here, aren't I?" He laughed nervously, backing away from the teenage girl, arm still around his younger friend's shoulders.

"You are." The redhead's voice finally arose. The taller boy tensed slightly, neck craning to look into the dark eyes of his friend, the boy he had kissed yesterday. He had been fine seconds before. He was running frantically towards the beach, cursed to himself when he saw the group of people huddled around the tiny figure of his Sex Education teacher in the distance, caught sight of the solitary silhouette of his partner among his classmates, and made it in the knick of time to say good-bye to the little girl.

And he thought of nothing else. Meaning he didn't have a plan. Meaning he had no idea what to say at that point. Meaning he was going to make a blubbering idiot of himself in front of Koushiro.

Meaning, oh shit, he's kissing me.

****

_Yeah yeah I know, what the hell is this. Ohoho plot device gone in a very very silly way._


	40. Chapter 40

_I had these last two chapters seriously typed up on my computer for like, forever. Except for the last half-page. I'm so cool. _

_Might as well get this wrapped up eh. I guess._

_Take it easy on me dudes._

****

Taichi wasn't really planning for anything when he stepped onto the white sands of the beach. He had no idea what to do or say or anything. He felt ready for whatever was going to be flung his way. All the brunette was sure of was that he had to tell Koushiro just how he felt.

Hell, nothing really prepared him for this, not even Hikari's advice, which he had flung out the window a long time ago. And he was pretty sure she didn't mention the possibility of having the redhead kiss him.

Because he certainly was.

His soft lips were pressed against his slightly parted ones, a lithe hand coming up to cup the back of his head, fingertips gracing his brown locks. Taichi's eyes widened, scanning every inch of his friend's light skin, the large black eyes fluttered shut. Everything had frozen around him, disappearing except for himself and the boy before him, kissing him softly on his lips.

Damn, this was even better than anything he could have possibly planned.

Grinning against the smaller boy's waiting mouth, he returned the embrace, resting his fingers on the other's jaw as he slid his arm from the narrow shoulders to the small of his back, bringing Koushiro closer. He thought it was wonderful how perfectly their lips fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle, completing a beautiful scene. They separated, Taichi angling his head lower to enter again, enveloping his mouth with those supple lips, breaths meshing together as he teased the lower lip with the tip of his tongue, this time savoring the taste of this boy, this time without ripping himself apart from him and running away without looking back. He felt the redhead beneath him shiver slightly, Taichi taking this as a cue to pull apart once more. He rolled the taste in his mouth, savoring it.

"Dude, don't have sex with him just yet."

Redness instantly flushed the soccer player's face, saliva catching in his throat as he jerked his face away from Koushiro's own, coughing uncontrollably at the blunt remark. God knows he was thinking about that just now. "Shut the fuck up Yamato," he gasped in between hacks. He caught sight of a blushing Koushiro beside him, shining eyes doubled in size. And that wasn't helping the particular thought go away.

Mimi's giggles filled the air, sighing in relief as she settled a pair of dreamy eyes on the two boys. And with that, she quickly turned on her heels, dragging a pink-faced Jou away from towards the refreshments. "I think I want a soda, don't you, Sora?" she glanced at the other girl. The hint was taken, Sora snatching Yamato by the wrist, pulling him away from the pair. "See you guys later!"

Her voice was a bit too sweet.

"Love your jeans, man! Didn't think you owned something that tight!"

He'd get the blonde back for that later.

Taichi rubbed the back of his head nervously, an awkward chuckle escaping his throat. Koushiro darted his eyes back and forth between the grains of sand beneath his sandals and the boy he had just kissed, the blush fading to a dusty pink stretched across his cheeks. The brunette slowly took a hand to the back of the other's neck, rubbing his fingertips along the short strands of hair at the base.

"I was going to buy you a card." The corners of his moistened lips turned upward, thinking back at those big red letters declaring love forever, the flowers and pink and red. Really, were cards only made for women? They were the only ones who would ever buy that junk.

The redhead giggled in response. "I think this approach worked just fine, don't you agree? A similar approach to your own yesterday."

Taichi shifted his eyes downward, a heat rising to his ears as he remembered that first all-too-sudden kiss. "Heh, yeah…"

Koushiro placed a hand on his shoulder, tracing the seam carefully with the tip of his index finger, his lidded eyes following the straight path of the light jacket. His tongue rolled along the curve of his taut bottom lip, a giddy sensation blossoming in the bottom of his stomach. Finally, he was able to ask everything he had been wondering about for the past week, the past 24 hours. "So…was this the reason you didn't talk to me for those couple of days…and ignored me….and such?" He remembered how long he had spent pondering, hoping, he hadn't done anything to upset his friend, to bring him to toss away their friendship just like that.

The taller boy turned his face away from Koushiro, attempting to simplify everything he had felt, experienced, and wanted to say at that moment into mere words. "I didn't mean to worry you…" he started, voice cracking into a subdued whisper. "I just didn't know what to do. I was worried that you'd be freaked out…and I was freaked out…and I didn't…." The redhead couldn't hear the last few words Taichi spoke. But he understood.

His qualms, suspicions, fears that had culminated inside his clouded mind were finally cleared. An invisible weight was lifted from his shoulders as he swept his eyes across the sincere face of his best friend, his partner. Koushiro had never thought about life without the soccer player; he never had to, simply assumed that they would all stick together for life, no questions asked. The fact that he actually had to wonder what everything would be like without the brunette's absence frightened him.

And when he realized this, it was when he knew.

"You're sure then?" Raising his chin, the smaller boy's eyes caught the truthful brown eyes peering to him from above. He studied Taichi's features, taking in the defined jaw, the tanned skin, cheeks acquiring a rouge tinge from the close contact. The brown hair that never seemed to be tamed by any hairbrush, locks that he wanted to run his fingers through that second. His lips which could deliver him the most genuine of smiles everyday…all of this Koushiro was quite sure he wanted.

"Taichi, man!" A male classmate called out to the soccer player from behind. The brunette turned around, trying to pinpoint who exactly it was that shouted his name. A familiar classmate made his presence clear once again. "You're gay, dude?"

The redhead glanced at the boy whose gentle hand still rested at the nape of his neck, stroking the soft tuft of red hair. He tried to see any faltering in his expression, any hesitance, uncertainty tainting his strong features. But all he saw was the formation of a small grin as he readied himself to answer the curious teenager, as well as the rest of the class, now offering their undivided attention to the pair.

"Nah..." Not a note in his voice sounded at all unsure; it all brimmed with confidence. His fingers snaked to the younger teen's shoulder, pressing his slim body against his own. "I just happen to really like Koushiro Izumi." And that characteristic grin grew wider. "Enough for you?"

The waves clashing against the sands slightly muted the gasps resonating from the group of adolescents. Some of the boys flashed quick glances at one another, confusion etched into their stares. An unsettled voice arose from the crowd, cutting through the small hum of murmurs enveloping the short-lived silence. "Really?" It seemed this was the question that pulsed inside the minds of all their fellow classmates.

It was also whispered silently from the redhead's lips, black orbs gazing at the form of his best friend, his posture simply resonating an air of certainty.

"Yeah," he beamed, the one-word answer confirming everyone's disbelief, confirming Koushiro's uncertainty. And he whispered something faintly, quiet enough for only the boy resting in his hold to hear. "I'm sure."

At that moment, the younger boy felt something almost…flutter inside his chest, a red hue suddenly rising to his cheeks as he fought the urge to envelop the brunette in his arms and bury his face into the crook of his neck, never wanting to let go in hopes of making up for all the time they had lost due to Taichi's silence. He wanted to form into words everything he was feeling right then, everything he had felt before, everything he knew he would feel in the future.

It was strange really, surreal even. Koushiro, the computer genius, the introverted, yet brilliant student, honestly never thought about attraction and relationships that ventured beyond the realm of friendship. Granted, he never thought about the opposite sex the way teenage boys his age frequently did, but the same did not occur for the same sex. Then came the onset of that truly unique experience that was this project…and everything that occurred following that first day. Caring for someone in this way was definitely not something that seriously crossed his mind in the past; the deep camaraderie that had been cultivated from the adventure in the Digital World were more than enough and much too important to put at risk with the rise of anything more than friendship. And now it was seriously crossing his mind dozens of times, the words "I love you" developing a true meaning. And the face that smiled that optimistic grin, unfazed by the shocked expressions before him, was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

But Koushiro did nothing then. The crowd in front of him still seemed to digest and formulate an opinion of the picture in front of them; the school computer genius now resting his head onto the shoulder of captain of the soccer team, a hand wrapped rather possessively at the smaller boy's waist.

Taichi offered no sign of loosening his grip.

A few seconds of rather uncomfortable silence, a giggle sounded from somewhere within the crowd, tinged with familiarity as a comment followed the amused lilt. "You guys look cute." The students all seemed to freeze in place, then suddenly relax, composures softened as a murmur of voices seeped into the air, mostly in agreement with the disembodied comment. The boy who had asked the initial question shrugged his shoulders, laughing nervously as he continued on with his previous conversation with the girl beside him. Glances shot their way varied in emotion, ranging from amusement, slight joy, confusion, perhaps even a note of mild disgust in a few pairs of eyes. It didn't matter at the moment; the attention was now shifted away from them.

Koushiro would have to thank the voice later.

With that situation out of the way, Taichi turned back to the smaller boy, only to be startled by a pair of lithe arms encircling his neck, the redhead's face buried in the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Before he settled his own arms around the thin body pressed against his chest, he was taken by more surprise when lips were suddenly against his, a fleeting touch, soft and warm and sure. The brunette smiled into the gentle caress, providing his own yield as he took in the scent of his friend, taking note of the lavender shampoo from his hair and the faintest hint of vanilla from his skin, etching those details into his brain, locking them away where they won't soon be forgotten along with a culmination of other details; the way Koushiro's jersey felt his fingertips as he brought his body closer to his own, the auburn strands tickling his nose as he angled his face, the tiniest hint of that familiar vanilla savored when he rolled his tongue across his bottom lip, pleading for brief entrance before separating from the smaller boy. He numbered the details, painting them into his mind, proving that it was so much better than he had even dared to imagine.

Taichi opened his eyes to see Koushiro looking right into his own face, watching as the black eyes darted to every feature. The redhead's lips were moist, reddened, as they deftly curved upward into a smile before reaching for his friend's hand, pulling him towards the rest of the class to join in the mingling and laughter that consumed the warm night air. Taichi kept his gaze on the smaller boy, watching as he engaged in conversation with their classmates and couldn't help the grin that pulled at his own lips.

_Awww yeah I can get a tent in my pants and not feel bad about it, how awesome is this._

And it wasn't long before he felt the sting of a palm against the back of his head. His hand went reflexively upward to nurse the sudden ache, and he whipped around to see whose face he's have to punch. He let out a groan at the gelled shock of blonde hair and the knowing smirk plastered below the bangs.

"It would've taken too long to get a hose here, dude", Yamato said with that damn haughty tone positively soaking his voice. "Any longer and everyone and their dog would know you want nothing more than to bone him, you perv."

Taichi sputtered, glancing backwards to see if Koushiro had heard the obscene, but nonetheless, truthful comment and sighed in relief when he saw that the younger boy was animatedly talking to another boy and his partner. And his hand, reflexively, traveled to the hem of his shirt, tugging it slightly downward in case his body had failed him.

"No worries man, nothing to hide," Yamato answered the unvoiced question, a laugh escaping with his words.

"Shut up dude, I'll break your fucking guitar."

"You won't. I love getting new dirt on you, I was getting kinda bored."

"Pretty boy I swear I'll rip out your nose job if you don't – "

"Yamato c'mon, I love this song, let's dance, we've haven't gone dancing in so long, c'mooon." And Sora had pulled at the blonde's arm, allowing Yamato to glance backwards to raise an unpleasant finger and flash a cheeky grin in Taichi's direction.

"And quit being a dick to Tai." The brunette smiled as he watched the blonde's head reel forward in what was probably a show of affection from a loving girlfriend.

The night continued and began to slow down as Taichi hesitantly inched for Koushiro's hand as they walked down the lit street. He knew one thing for certain as his fingers curled around the other's smaller ones; Hikari will sure as hell NOT bite his head off once they got back to his apartment.

Always a plus.

****

_Hoho who just finished their first fanfic ever. Yeah._

_.....I started this when I was 16 or 17 I forget ffffffff. I dun even know what prompted me to just turn on the computer and actually finish this._

_Okay does anyone want like, a porn-y epilogue, I'm kinda tempted to write one lol._

_WOULD ANYONE LIKE THAT, ahaha I'm gonna try it honhonhon._

_Thanks to all those who actually read all this, it means a lot. We've grown old together, how about that._

_Seriously though, I love you all ; A ;_

_....should I try another one hoho.  
_


End file.
